TN giving importance to food grain production

The government wanted to keep about 40 lakh hectare for food grains

As part of giving importance to production of food grains such as paddy, pulses and millets, government wanted to keep about 40 lakh hectare for food grains and keep a cyclic chain from pulses to millets, with production ranging from 122 to 125 lakh tonne, a top official said today.

Stating that the food production was 110 lakh tonnes during 2013-14 from an area of 37 lakh hectare, Sandeep Saxena, Tamil Nadu Agricultural Production Commissioner and Principal Sectetary exuded confidence that production was expected to rise in a good monsoon year, even if the area was declining.

Tamil Nadu Seed Development Agency would be supplying quality seeds to be sown in these area, Saxena said on the sidelines of a seminar on 'Drought Management and Improving Sugarcane Productivity,' organised by South Indian Sugar Mills Association,

On sugarcane production, Saxena said "We are optimistic that North East Monsoon will be good."

The Government was taking up rain water harvesting in a massive way to tackle the drought-like situation, he said, adding it was also giving greater impetus to Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative system.

The government was trying to bring more area under SSI system of cultivation and so far added about 20,000 to 40,000 acres over the last three years and proposed to take it to 50,000 acres during this year, he said.