Sirsi: “The suggestion of extending the ‘Karavali package’ to Malenad region will be considered,” assured Agriculture Minister N H Shivashankara Reddy.

Interacting with farmers after distributing agriculture implements to beneficiaries at the Raitha Samparka Kendra in Sirsi on Tuesday, Shivashankara Reddy said that the paddy crop gets washed away in the coastal areas when it receives excess rain. Because of this problem, many farmers have given up paddy cultivation. In order to check the dwindling of paddy in the coastal districts and to increase the area under cultivation, the Karavali package for paddy has been introduced. It is meant to provide financial aid to paddy growers of the coastal areas. Under this, Rs 7,500 aid is given for per hectare paddy.

Farmer G R Hegde Bellekeri said that paddy growers are coming down. Therefore financial aid on Kerala model must be given to the paddy growers of the State. Responding to this, the minister assured of considering the plan to extend the Karavali package to Malenad region also.

The farmers also demanded that the employment guarantee scheme must be extended to paddy cultivation.

The farmers said that though the farmers have registered their name under the support price scheme, paddy procurement was not taking place. A system must be brought in place for this. Around 75% farmers of the Malenad region transplant paddy mechanically. So financial aid must be provided to purchase machines. Ponds must be desilted for the benefit of agriculture. The pipes provided for irrigation must be of good quality.

Responding to these issues, the minister said that he will speak to the co-operation minister for setting up procurement centres for procuring paddy under support price. Officers must motivate officials to grow paddy of hybrid variety. In case, the irrigation pipes are of poor quality, the issue must be brought to the notice of the agriculture department officials. The government has fixed seven companies to procure pipes at subsidised prices. In the case of supply of poor quality pipes, the company responsible will be blacklisted.

Prior to this, the minister visited the processing unit at Sonda Katri and Krishi Honda in Hulekal. Director of Agriculture B Y Shrinivas and other officials were present. Later, the minister also visited the Kadamba Marketing and went through the black pepper processing unit. He then interacted with farmers involved in organic farming.