Crystal Phosphates , part of the Rs 600-crore Crystal Group and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), have entered into a PPP model for increasing rice production in the country. The firm aims to cover 20,000 villages across 14 rice producing states in the next three months.
Under this model, Crystal Phosphates aims to ensure that a farmer gets the latest information and recommendations from ICAR on hybrid seeds, new variety of seeds, new methodology etc, required for increasing the productivity. Besides, the company would also pass on to farmers all the information, from sowing to harvesting, in a package.
Crystal Group chairman NK Agarwal said the company plans to invest Rs 6 crore for ensuing three-month kharif season starting from June. ?ICAR has access to technology and methods of agriculture, which when deployed will increase the yield 10-20 %. This will be our first step towards second green revolution,? he said. Also, Crystal plans to adopt over 2,500 villages in Andhra Pradesh?s key paddy belts of East Godavari, West Godavari, Nellore, Guntur and Karimanagar districts where these villages will be developed as role models. Farmers here will adopt new means, methods and techniques as prescribed by ICAR and can achieve better yields with less input costs.
?Our specialised team will visit key paddy belts and advice the farmers on various measures to be taken for maximising the yield. Sowing hybrid seeds, proper utilisation of agrochemicals and inputs can fetch an additional 10% yield,?? Agarwal said.