Less rice on your plate

Pune is one of the six districts in the state chosen under the mission to improve rice productivity. Harvesting is under way but the estimated production according to the statistical department is 10.5 quintals per hectare, down from last year8217;s 12.45 quintals per hectare. The average for the last five years has been 12 quintals per hectare.

The agriculture department had distributed over 1,500 kg new varieties of paddy seeds such as Indrayani and Bhogavati to farmers under the seed replacement campaign. Community nurseries for rice were set up over 45 hectares to ensure that farmers got a shot at transplanting a better paddy variety, thereby improving yield.

8220;However, paddy crop is very sensitive to rainfall. The dry spells were extended and transplantation was delayed. Although the rains towards the end of the season made up the average, it did not rain when it was needed the most, adversely affecting the crop,8221; said U D Kunjeer, chief statistician, Agriculture department.

D D Zope, director extension, agriculture, said the season had been unique with rains in the beginning followed by a fairly extended dry spell, with good rains again coming at the end of the season. 8220;This technology that we are spreading is for a long term. We tried our best, but nature had other plans. Production will be restricted to around 10.5 quintals per hectare,8221; he said.

8220;Till now, farmers were employing unreliable methods to improve ways to the yield,8221; said K V Deshmukh, joint director, agriculture, Pune, who heads the National Food Security Mission in Pune, Ahmednagar and Solapur. 8220;We initiated the concept of community paddy nurseries over 45 hectares as also efficient ways to use urea brickets. Over 1,500 kg of seeds were distributed to farmers to replace their existing seeds,8221; he said.

Deshmukh, however, said production would be higher this year. 8220;The complete harvest details will be known in three weeks. The initial estimates that have come suggest that the productivity will be higher this year. Our target is 14.5 qunitals per hectare,8221; he said. Most of the rice for the city comes from Punjab, Haryana, Nagpur, Raipur, Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka. Consequently, the city is dependent only marginally on district farmers for cereals. The area under rice has been steady in the last three years, while the gross production has fluctuated. 8220;Gross production has been decreasing in the last 10 years, which is why the agriculture department is working to improve yield per hectare. As land prices have increased, farmers have found it more fruitful to sell their land,8221; said rice trader Rajendra Bhatiya.