Odisha govt to introduce new paddy in Ganjam

Ahead of the coming kharif season, Odisha government has decided to introduce a new variety of high-yielding paddy seed in Ganjam district to increase production.
The new variety named 'Swarna Sub-1' can withstand water logging for about a fortnight, official sources said.
The new paddy variety is crucial for the district which often experiences natural calamities like unseasonal rains, floods and cyclones, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Ganjam, Sudarshan Mohanty said.
Stating that the agriculture department had aimed to distribute around 7,000 quintals of the new variety seeds to farmers this season, Mohanty said now they have about 6,000 quintals and the rest would be procured.

Chief Secretary G C Pati during a review meeting here last month had asked the officials to introduce new varieties of paddy seeds which could survive the onslaught of drought and flood.
"There are plans to promote drought-resistant Sahabhagi seeds. Awareness camps are being organised in different villages to suggest the farmers about chemical treatment of seeds before use", Mohanty said.

The department had set an increased productivity target of 42 quintal paddy per hectare in the district for this Kharif compared to 39 quintals in the corresponding period last year for the 2.20 lakh hectare paddy coverage area in the district.

Mohanty said there was no shortage of paddy seeds in the district and 55,000 quintal of seeds of different variety have been stocked. A total 7,000 quintal seeds have already been dispatched to different blocks.
Around 42,000 quintals of paddy seeds were distributed last season, he added.