New Delhi: The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India is taking several measures to facilitate the farmers and farming activities at field level during the lockdown period. The updated status of activities is given below:
- Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare had launched “Kisan Rath” App on 17.04.2020 to facilitate Farmers and Traders in identifying right mode of transportation for movement of farm produce ranging from food grain (cereal, coarse cereal, pulses etc), Fruits & Vegetables, oil seeds, spices, fiber crops, flowers, bamboo, log & minor forest produce, coconuts etc. Till date, total of 80,474 farmers and 70,581 traders are registered on this App.
- Due to complete lockdown, all the wholesale mandis were closed on 25.03.2020. There are 2587 Principal/Main agricultural Markets available in India, out of which 1091 markets were functional on 26.03.2020. As on 23.04.2020, 2067 markets were made functional.
- The procurement of Pulses & Oilseeds on MSP is currently in progress in twenty (20) States. A quantity of 1,79,852.21 MT of Pulses and 1,64,195.14 MT of Oilseeds has been procured by NAFED and FCI valued at Rs 1605.43 Crores through which 2,05,869 farmers have been benefited.
- Sowing Area Coverage of Summer Crops:
Rice: About 34.73 lakh ha area coverage under summer rice as compared to 25.22 lakh ha during the corresponding period of last year.
Pulses: About 5.07 lakh ha area coverage under pulses as compared to 3.82 lakh ha. during the corresponding period of last year.
Course Cereals: About 8.55 lakh ha area coverage under coarse cereals as compared to 5.47 lakh ha. during the corresponding period of last year.
Oilseeds: About 8.73 lakh ha area coverage under oilseeds as compared to 6.80 lakh ha. during the corresponding period of last year.
- Harvesting Status as on 24.04.2020
Wheat: As reported by the States about 98-99 % of wheat crop has been harvested in in Madhya Pradesh, 90-92 % in Rajasthan, 82-85 % in Uttar Pradesh, 50-55 % in Haryana, 45-50 % in Punjab and 86-88 % in other States.