Andhra Pradesh may register a record seed output this fiscal. Timely monsoons, adequate water levels in the major irrigation projects and increase in area of cultivation are helping seed producers turn out a rich harvest in Andhra Pradesh, a major producing state. It accounts for 25 per cent of the seed exports of the country.
AP Seedsmen Association, comprising about 400 seed producing firms, estimates that seed production may increase 10 per cent from last year, which itself was a good production year. “Trends so far point to this. There is an increase in especially rice and maize production,” M Harish Reddy, president, told Business Line on the sidelines of its 18th annual general meeting here on Wednesday.
Seed output fell from 45.19 lakh quintals in 2010-11 to 40.50 lakh quintals in the next year, but increased to 56.32 lakh in 2012-13. “During Kharif-2013, we have already distributed 36.15 lakh quintals, including 14 lakh quintals of paddy and 97,000 quintals of maize,” he said.
Last fiscal, the area under cultivation in Kharif was about 74 lakh hectares in the State, with the full year seeing 110 lakh hectares under production. In the current Kharif, an additional two lakh hectares was brought under cultivation by farmers, encouraged by timely monsoons.