UP TO SEE RECORD PRODUCTION IN PADDY

UP’s paddy production is at an all-time high and is set to create a record second time in a row. The production is said to increase by a million tonnes and the storage capacity has gone up to 51 lakh tonnes in three years

Production to increase by 1 million tonnes compared to last year with cultivation on 60 lakh hectares of land

UP’s storage capacity goes up from 29 lakh tonnes to 51 lakh tonnes in three years

Bareilly division to top production due to sowing on the largest chunk of land

Uttar Pradesh is all set to scale new height in paddy production for the second year in a row this year. With cultivation of paddy on 60 lakh hectares of land this year against last year’s 58.92 lakh hectares due to favourable weather conditions, better rains and steps taken by the Yogi government in the interest of the farmers, agricultural experts believe that the yield will increase by one million tonnes in the current kharif season. Last year, the production of paddy had crossed 257.04 lakh tonnes. It is worth mentioning here that the Agriculture Department had set a target of cultivating paddy on 60 lakh hectares of land out of 96.03 lakh hectares in this kharif season, of which sowing had been done on 57.72 lakh hectares till August 4.

Sowing of paddy on the remaining land was completed by August 15. Based on the data of paddy sown last year and this year, it is now being claimed that this time there will be a record production of paddy in UP. Besides, UP is likely to set a new record in the production of coarse cereals like millet and maize as well due to the conducive weather, according to experts. Out of the 18 divisions in the state, the production of paddy is likely to be the highest in the Bareilly division due to its maximum sowing. In the Bareilly division, paddy has been sown on 194.40 thousand hectares of land followed by 175.50 thousand hectares in the Moradabad division, 156.01 thousand hectares in the Meerut division, 141.40 thousand hectares in the Aligarh division, 73.72 thousand hectares in the Saharanpur division and 25 thousand hectares in the Vindhyachal division.

With record production of paddy and coarse cereals, Uttar Pradesh's participation in the central food basket will increase further. Apart from the favourable weather, the Yogi government’s policies aimed at increasing farmers’ income have played a vital role in increasing food grains production in the state. According to agricultural experts, even during the second wave of novel coronavirus pandemic, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ensured that agricultural programmes continued uninterrupted. There was no shortage of manure and seeds in the state. The government also ensured that there was also no shortage of fertilisers like urea, DAP, NPK, zinc and potash while the movement of machines for harvesting wheat continued as usual. Agricultural equipment and improved seeds were also made available to the farmers, which led to a significant increase in the production of rabi crops. And now the government is leaving no stone unturned to have a record production of kharif crops including millet, maize, mung, groundnut, soybean, sesame and toor this year.

The Yogi government is also working on increasing the storage capacity for food grains in the state in view of the estimated increase in production. In 2017, the total storage capacity in the state was close to 29 lakh tonnes, which has been increased by the Yogi government to more than 51 lakh tonnes in just three years. The government has set a target to increase storage capacity to seven million tonnes by the year 2022.