Raipur, Chhattisgarh: The season of Rabi sowing is starting with the harvesting of Kharif paddy in Chhattisgarh. This time there is a preparation to increase its area by five percent. Last year, the Rabi crop was sown in 18 lakh 30 thousand hectares during the Rabi season. The Agriculture Department has prepared a plan to plant crops in 19 lakh 25 thousand hectares this year.
The Agriculture Department has started a round of review with the officers for the preparations for the Rabi season. On Wednesday, Agriculture Production Commissioner Dr. Kamalpreet Singh took a meeting of the Collectors of Raipur and Durg divisions, Chief Executive Officers of District Panchayats, and senior officers of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries Departments. This meeting was held at New Circuit House, Raipur to review the Kharif and to decide the schedule of the Rabi season.
During this meeting, it was told that this year in the Rabi season other crops will also be sown. It includes cereals in 4.36 lakh hectares, pulses in 8.65 lakh hectares, and oilseeds in 3.77 lakh hectares. Sowing of other crops is proposed on a total of 97 lakh hectares. So far, rabi crops have been sown in one lakh 56 thousand hectares in the state. This year the program has been decided for sowing of Rabi crops in 2 lakh 82 thousand hectares in Raipur division and 6 lakh 76 thousand hectares in Durg division. It is 17% more in Raipur and 3% in Durg than last year.
One important thing that came out in the meeting is that the emphasis of the department is more on increasing the production of pulses and wheat as compared to summer paddy. The Agriculture Production Commissioner told the collectors that the state and central governments are running schemes to promote the cultivation of pulses and oilseeds by ensuring its benefits to the farmers and motivating them for the cultivation of pulses and oilseeds. The Agriculture Production Commissioner directed to promote palm plantation and encourage wheat cultivation in irrigated areas.