Paddy farmers in Kashmir Valley cherish increased crop production this year

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The harvesting season of the Paddy crop is in full swing in the districts of the Kashmir valley including Anantnag, Budgam, Pulwama and Ganderbal.

The Paddy farmers at Ganderbal told ANI that how the subsidy provided by the government on fertilizers helped them to obtain good quality and high quantity of paddy production this year.

“The government has given subsidy for buying the fertilizers and ‘Khad. Our livelihood depends on paddy farming,” said Mohamad Ashraf, a farmer.

“We are getting a lot of benefit due to the subsidy received by the agriculture department on fertilizers, etc, After 10-12 days we will finally take out the rice from the crop,” said Mohamad Altaf, a farmer.

This year, the valley has seen an increase in production upto seventy quintals per hectare due to good weather and support from the government.

The farmers are delighted at the increased production of the Paddy this year and exclaimed that suitable weather aided better production of paddy this year as compared to the previous year.

“With the help of new seed varieties’ including SR 3, 4 and 5 the quality and quantity of paddy crop has been increased. This year the production of paddy crop has increased upto seventy quintals per hectare as compared to last which was below this. The agriculture department is always trying to introduce new seed varieties aimed to improve the quality and quantity of paddy crops for the benefit of farmers,” said Choudhary Iqbal, Director Agriculture, Kashmir.

“I want to thank God that this year the weather was good, the sunshine was good. We are cutting the crops which will go on for 10-12 days. This year’s crop produce is much better than the previous year, “said Mushtaq Ahmad, a farmer. (ANI)