For the State of Andhra Pradesh from 19 to 22 Sept., 2016 a Visit To
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Tour Report of Dr. M. Dutta, National Consultant (Oilseeds) for the State of Andhra Pradesh from 19 to 22 Sept., 2016 A visit to Andhra Pradesh State was undertaken by M. Dutta, National Consultant (Oilseeds) w.e.f. 19th to 22nd Sept., 2016 to monitor and review the implementation of NMOOP and NFSM programmes by the State, Central Seed Agencies (NSC and HIL), Cluster Demonstrations by KVKs of ICAR-ATARI Zone-V and Frontline Demonstrations by ICAR-IIOR, Hyderabad. Two major groundnut growing districts of Rayalaseema region viz. Anantapur and Kurnool districts were visited. Details of field visits to farmers’ fields and meetings held with various stake holders have been enumerated below: 19.09.2016: (District Anantapur) On the way to district Anantapur from Hyderabad, a meeting was held at NSC, Kurnool in which officials of NSC, HIL and State Department of Agriculture (SDA) were present. It was informed by NSC that 4,000 acres has been targeted for groundnut seed production with about 45,000 qtl seed in district Kurnool. The agency has planned to produce 1,000 qtl of safflower seed during rabi 2016-17. The groundnut varieties included were ICGV-91114 and Dharani, which are recently released varieties. However, groundnut variety K-6, which is about 11 years old is still popular among the farmers and is being widely grown in the state. In addition to groundnut, seeds of pigeon pea hybrid ICPH-2740 are being produced in 200 acres area and seeds of maize hybrid HQPM-1&4 and pearl millet hybrid RHB-177 are also being produced. High seed requirement of groundnut was a major concern among the farmers. Groundnut seed production programme undertaken by HIL in the village Jakkalcheruvu, Gooty Division, Distt. Anantapur was visited. In spite of the prolonged drought of about a month, the crop condition was good and uniform due to use of life saving irrigation through rain guns supplied by the State Government. Seed production of K-9, ICGV-91114 and ICGV-0350 was undertaken by the farmers. As per farmers’ perception, performance of groundnut variety ICGV-0350 was the best followed by K-9 and ICGV-91114. The farmers expressed satisfaction with the seed production programme and expected good yield. 20.09.2016: (District Anantapur) Cluster Demonstrations on groundnut (TAG-24) and pigeon pea (LRG-41) grown in 11:1 ratio in Rotarypuram village (farmer Sri Suresh Babu) over an area of 5.0 ha conducted by State Department was visited. The sowing was done on last week of June, 2016 through hired seed drills maintained at Agricultural Research Station, CRIDA and the operations were supervised by MPE workers having diploma in Agriculture after 10th standard. The majority of area under groundnut demonstration was covered by K-6 variety. The other varieties grown were ICGV-91114 and K-9. It 1 was informed that there was great demand for mechanized seed drills during sowing season which is in short supply. At village Reddipalli farmer Sri D. Ramakrishna has taken up 3.0 acres demonstration with groundnut variety K-6. The crop was irrigated with rain gun supplied by SDA and gypsum @500 kg/ha was also applied resulting in excellent crop. A meeting was held at KVK, Reddipalli, Anantapur with the KVK scientists, officials of SDA and Seed Agencies. Cluster Demonstration in 30.0 ha area on Groundnut + Pigeon pea intercropping in 15:1 and 23:1 was undertaken with varieties K-6 and TMV-2. The latter variety is very old and needs replacement. The rainfall received during June (143.5 mm) and July (177.2 mm) was optimum but August (2.4 mm) and September (12.0 mm upto 20th) were largely dry affecting the groundnut crop which was at pod development stage. The yield of groundnut crop was expected to be reduced drastically in the cluster demonstration plots due to long dry spell. The KVK has a plan of cluster demonstration programme in 20.0 ha area under safflower during rabi 2016-17. In village Sri B.K. Samudram, NSC has taken up 130.0 acres of seed production programme of groundnut variety K-6. The crop was provided with protective irrigation through rain guns and the crop condition was fairly good in spite of long dry spell. At village Mudulapuram, a woman farmer Mrs. Onnamma has adopted Navdhanya (9 crops) system as a strategy for drought mitigation guided by the SDA. Different crops like pigeon pea, castor, green gram, cluster bean, pearl millet, field bean and a number of vegetable crops were grown under line sowing, but the crops were mixed within the rows. This may lead to difficulty in harvesting and determining the optimum proportion of crops for recommending to the farmers. In the adjacent plot, groundnut (K-6) + pigeon pea (LRG-41) were grown in 11:1 ratio in an area of 3.0 acres. In village Pennahavilam of Urukonda Division, farmer Sri Suryanarayana has grown 3 varieties namely ICGV-0350, K-9 and TAG-24 with rain gun irrigation system supported by the State Government. The crop was 85 days old, however, there was some confusion about the identity of the variety ICGV-0350. Among the varieties, K-9 was perceived as the best in terms of pod as well as fodder yield. In village Chinnamustur of Urukonda Division, 300 acres (15 farmers) area has been adopted by NSC for seed production programme of groundnut varieties Dharani and ICGV-91114. The latter variety is locally known as Double 4. Both these varieties are superior to K-6, the ruling variety. Dharani is a bold seeded variety, has very high shelling percentage and is particularly suitable for kharif season. The variety was expected to produce 25.0-30.0 qtl/ha. As informed by the farmers, although buyback by NSC was assured with some advance payment, but the final payment is generally delayed which causes problem. The area has assured protective irrigation facility from the nearby large water tank. 2 HIL has taken up seed production programme in about 300.0 acres area in Nakannadodi village of Guntakal Division. The farmer Sri N. Eswaramma has grown K. Haritandhra variety in 5.0 acres area while Sri Nageshwar Rao has grown about 50.0 acre area with rain gun irrigation system supported by State Government. The yield of the variety was estimated to be 20.0 qtl/ha and a profit of about Rs. 20,000 -25,000/- per acre was expected by the farmers. In another village, NSC has adopted the farmer Sri N.C. Basaiya who has grown groundnut variety ICGV-91114 in about 5.0 acres area. The groundnut crop was intercropped with pigeon pea in 15:1 ratio and the yield of groundnut variety was expected to be about 20.0 qtl/ha. At Gooty, both NSC and HIL have processing and storage facilities, while NSC has its own facility, HIL has a hired processing plant and godown. The godown had 10,000 qtl. of chick pea variety Jaki-9218 for rabi seed production. HIL also has a target of production of 1,000 qtl. of chick pea variety of NBCG-1 & NBCG-47, which are amenable to mechanical harvesting. For rabi groundnut, HIL has a production target of 15,000 qtl. seeds of variety Dharani (4,000 qtl.), ICGV-0350 (1,500 qtl.), K-1319 (1,500 qtl) and ICGV-91114 (8,000 qtl.). NSC has a production target of 45,000 qtl. seed of kharif groundnut, 50,000 qtl. of rabi groundnut, 20,000 qtl. of chick pea and 5,000 qtl. of pigeon pea. Both the seed godowns were well maintained and the quality of seed checked randomly was very good. However, wooden/plastic support used by HIL for stacking was low and needs to be raised. The huge infrastructure facility of NSC can be utilized for higher targets of seed production in oilseeds and pulses. 21.09.2016: (District Kurnool) A meeting was organized at Kambalapadu village, in Krishnagiri Division, Kurnool Distt. where, 450 acres of demonstration on groundnut variety K-6 was undertaken by the SDA. The demonstrations were by the side of an irrigation canal named Handi Niva Sujala Srawanti, running from Kurnool to Chittoor. The crop stand was excellent as it has been saved by rain guns through two lift irrigations. An approximate yield of 20.0 qtl./ha yield was expected by the farmers. It was informed by the farmers that seed, PSB, gypsum, trichoderma and PP chemicals were supplied by the State Department, but Rhizobium culture was not supplied. Farmers used high seed rate (80kg kernels/acre) due to criss-cross sowing by bullock drawn seed drills and to maintain higher plant population. Low price support for seed and lower subsidy available for water carrying pipes are the major concerns. It was requested to increase the subsidy support for pump sets and also sprinkler irrigation system, if feasible. Next visit was made to the KVK at Yagantipalle, Banaganapalle managed by an NGO, where a meeting was held with the scientists and other officials. The KVK has taken up cluster demonstrations in farmers’ fields on pigeon pea (LRG-21), groundnut (Dharani, K-6), green gram (WGG-242) and sunflower. Foxtail millet + pigeon pea were the major crops found all along the way to Yagantipalle and sesame was grown on the 3 sides. As informed, pigeon pea area has increased from 40,000 to 97,000 ha and black gram area from 3,000 to 10,000 ha area during kharif 2016. Sunflower necrosis was a major problem causing drastic reduction in area.