Preparations have begun for the upcoming rabi (winter) crop season with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordering concerned officials to ensure availability of seeds at the government selling centres 15 days before the sowing season begins.
According to the state government’s press statement, instructions have also been given to ensure that fertilisers obtained in the state are distributed at the approved price and to maintain strict control in order to prevent hoarding and black marketing.
In order to make the rabi production programme successful, a timeline has been fixed for theavailability of agricultural inputs. In this regards, the date for making flax seeds available at the sales centres was fixed for October 10.
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Barley will have to be made available at the district level by October 15, and at the sales centres by October 20. Instructions have been given to make wheat seeds available at the district level by October 20 and at the sales centres by October 25.
Meanwhile, the state government has set the target to ensure the availability of 60.25 metric tons of fertilisers. In the last rabi season of 2022-23, the distribution consumption of chemical fertilisers was 59.45 lakh metric tons in the state.
A proposed target of 60.25 lakh metric tons of fertiliser availability is set for 2023-24. The consumption of DAP (di-ammonium Phosphate) was 14.25 lakh metric tons in 2022-23, and the target for 2023-24 is 15.48 lakh metric tons.
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Similarly, the consumption of NPK (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium) was 3.44 lakh metric tons in the previous year, while the target for the coming season is 3.82 lakh metric tons. Likewise, the consumption of MP (muriate of potash) was 0.86 lakh metric tons, and the target is set at 1.32 lakh metric tons.
The Central Government has initiated the PM Pranam Yojana in the year 2023-24. Under this scheme, balanced use of chemical fertilisers according to crop requirements will be managed, and alternative fertilisers like urea and DAP will be promoted, emphasising organic and natural farming.
