State's food production expected to touch 113 lakh tonnes this year

State's food production expected to touch 113 lakh tonnes this year
The Hindu

HUBLI: Amid the devastation caused by floods comes the good news of record food production in the State.

According to Agriculture Minister K. Srinivasa Gowda, agricultural production is expected to touch 113 lakh tonnes this year. "We are expecting a bumper foodgrain production, thanks to the copious rains," Mr. Gowda told presspersons here on Saturday.

Production hovered between 87 lakh tonnes and 91 lakh tonnes for the past couple of years, which was also marked by drought, Mr. Gowda said and added that there is no reason why the target of 113 lakhs tonnes cannot be achieved.

One consequence of the record production will be that the Government may not have to shoulder a big burden for crop insurance. The Government is preparing a market intervention scheme in case prices fall below the minimum support price, Mr. Gowda said. "We may need a revolving fund of Rs. 500 crores for market intervention as against Rs. 250 crores last year," the Minister said.

Karnataka is among the States that have been pressing for the amendment of the Central Seed Act, providing, among other things, jail sentence for those in charge of companies marketing fake seeds and not allowing such companies to market seeds for three years. Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has agreed to bring an amendment to the Act in the next session of Parliament, Mr. Gowda said.

The Centre has suggested introduction of ATMA (Agricultural Technology Marketing Agency), providing for a single-window approach to meeting the needs of the farmers for agricultural implements, such as tractors and power tillers. The agency would serve as a conduit for the transfer of technology to farmers.