Minister stresses need to enhance paddy production

Kerala will have to face a crisis in the coming years unless the domestic production of rice is doubled, Food Minister G.R. Anil has said.

Speaking after inaugurating the transplantation of paddy at the farmlands in Pallipuram, he said Supplyco would procure the paddy from farmers at remunerative rate to encourage production. The government was taking steps to promote farming by extending various incentives. Farmers would get an incentive of up to ₹25,000 per hectare under the integrated paddy development scheme implemented by gram panchayats, he said, calling upon farmers to avail themselves of the crop insurance scheme.

About 30 acres of land that had been lying fallow for the last 15 years are being brought under paddy cultivation under the scheme. In the first phase of the project, 11 acres were prepared for transplantation by workers under the employment guarantee scheme.

Andoorkonam gram panchayat president S. Harikumar said efforts were on to make all the fertile land in the panchayat ready for cultivation. He added that plans were afoot to launch a comprehensive horticulture scheme in 18 acres spread across 18 wards in the panchayat.

Block panchayat president Hariprasad presided over the inaugural function. Farmers, panchayat functionaries and officials from the Agriculture department were present.