Red Gram: Government Support to Improve Red Gram Productivity

Tiruchirapalli: Under the National Food Security Mission (Pulses) to provide a road map for improving productivity in the crop, during the current year the cluster demonstration plots of red gram would be raised on about 700 hectares in the Tiruchirapalli district.

Agriculture Department officials said that, in Musiri, demonstration plots would be raised on about 300 hectares and in Thathaiyengarpet, Pullampadi and Thottiyam blocks 100 hectares each.

According to Agriculture Department officials a yield of one to 1.5 tonnes could be achieved a hectare against the current average of 600 kg in red gram crop. For raising the demonstration plots, farmers are provided subsidy.

Under the NFSM (Pulses), the Department of Agriculture organised an input mela at Manachanallur block to distribute inputs to farmers. Demonstration plots would be raised at Sirugudi, Sirupathur, Thathamangalam and Cholanganallur in Manachanallur block.

Farmers would be given 5kg of certified seeds of Co-RG-7 red gram variety, micronutrient mixture, liquid bio fertilizer, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and other inputs through Agricultural Extension Centres. Weedicides and plant protection chemicals would be provided with back-ended subsidy. A subsidy of Rs.5000 a hectare would be extended.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com