The Hindu Business Line : Stage set for rice farming with minimum water

The technology, though not new, had failed to take off until now. However, it is being recognised as a viable option to tide over the present situation of water shortage.

The Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has initiated a pilot project in the Thambaraparani belt.

"Departing from the regular practice of cultivating rice under water-logged conditions, the farmers would be able to raise it with minimal water, more spacing leading to less seed requirement but higher productivity per unit area," the State Agriculture Production Commissioner and Secretary, Mr T.S. Sridhar, said on Tuesday. He was in the city in connection with the two-day Scientific Workers' Conference.

Referring to the drought, he said agriculture was more `a gamble in the markets rather than the monsoon' and emphasised the need for better coordination between the extension department and research to establish better link models and make agriculture a viable proposition.

He said the traditional popular varieties would be taken up for cultivation under the programme, which is set to commence in June. "Most of these would be short duration varieties, which would facilitate the farmers to take to cultivation of other crops as well on rotation basis," he added.

The department is considering intensification of rice cultivation under this project, which could in due course be extended to other crops as well.

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