Haryana achieves ?highest? kharif foodgrain production

Haryana has achieved the highest-ever productivity of kharif foodgrains in 2012-13 and has also recorded the highest-ever rice production of 39.76 lakh metric tonne (MT) since the inception of the state in 1966.

Significantly, this has been achieved despite the state receiving about 36.8% less rainfall as against the normal rainfall from May to September 2012.

A spokesman of the Haryana agriculture department said on Wednesday that in case of coarse rice, 23.54 lakh MT of production, with a productivity of 40.03 qtls per hectare in an area of 5.88 lakh hectares, has been achieved. This has remained highest both in production and productivity since 1966-67.

Similarly, the production of basmati rice was achieved at 16.22 lakh MT with a productivity of 25.87 qtls per hectare in an area of 6.27 lakh hectares ? also the highest since 1966-67.

As the statistics of area, average yield and production of all kharif crops 2012-13 have been received, the state has made some other achievements in the agriculture sector. The productivity of kharif foodgrains in 2012-13 is 2,819 kg per hectare, which is the highest so far.

Haryana has also achieved productivity of cotton at 681 kg per hectare (lint) and the total production of cotton was 23.84 lakh bales. Similarly, the productivity of bajra was 1,925 kg per hectare and that of maize was 2,556 kg per hectare. The productivity of sugarcane during 2011-2012 was 73,253 kg per hectare, again the highest since 1966-67.

Officials claimed these achievements were made possible as the state government supplied 254 lakh units of more electricity per day to the farm sector from May to September as against 2011-12. They said the irrigation department also provided support, so the farmers did not face any difficulty.

In addition to this, the department of agriculture prepared a ?contingent plan?, in consultation with Chaudhary Charan Singh of Haryana Agricultural University, which was crop and area specific. The plan was circulated among all deputy directors of the agriculture department and it was implemented for the benefit of farmers.

Special advisories were also sent to the farmers. They were used to increase productivity of their crops. Special care was taken to avoid any shortcoming. There was also less infestation of insects and pests.