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| Centre allocates funds to boost wheat production |
| Anindita Dey / Mumbai Sep 03, 2010, 00:33 IST |
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The agriculture ministry has allocated around Rs 350 crore to nine states for implementing the action plan to increase wheat production under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM).
These states – Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal – had submitted the action plan few months back. The fund outlay was approved by the ministry following the action.
The fund allocation covers various aspects ranging from distribution of certified hybrid seeds, incentives for micro nutrients, equipment and farm machinery. The ministry has also specified that the best performing districts in the states under wheat cultivation will get additional allocation at a later date.
Officials said that with favourable rains, wheat production is expected to be good. The government has raised the minimum support price for domestic wheat from Rs 640 per quintal to Rs 1,000 per quintal.
The primary objective of the NFSM is to boost production of essential commodities — rice, wheat, maize and pulses. The other important area is to improve soil health by use of bio-fertilisers and micro nutrients. It also proposes to increase the area of arhar, lentil as intercrop for increasing kharif production of maize and sugarcane.
Mechanisation of agriculture farms, reclamation of problematic soils and enhancing water use efficiency by sprinkler and drip irrigation are also important.
Under the NFSM action plan, Uttar Pradesh aims to achieve increased productivity of wheat, rice, maize by two quintal per hectare and of sugarcane by 10 quintal per hectare.
India has accumulated a huge surplus of wheat after banning exports two years ago. Higher stocks after a bumper harvest encouraged the government to allow limited export sans subsidy.
In July 2010, the commerce ministry in consultation with the ministry of agriculture allowed export of 900,000 tonnes of wheat by state-run firms and 650,000 tonnes of wheat products through private trade.
Officials, then had reportedly clarified that export curbs could be lifted after evaluating the progress of monsoon rains, which are forecast to be 102 per cent of the long-period average this year.
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