Lok Sabha Question No. 2675 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-09
Subject: Area under Cultivation
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Su Thirunavukkarasar, M. Selvaraj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2675

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  9 TH  JULY, 2019

## AREA UNDER CULTIVATION

2675.  SHRI SU. THIRUNAVUKKARASAR: SHRI M. SELVARAJ:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is true that drop in area under cultivation for crops such as rice, pulses and oilseeds is due to severe floods or drought, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also true around 4 million hectares of agricultural land have fallen victim to the vagaries' of nature this monsoon;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the steps being taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to overcome the expected foodgrain shortage in the country; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी ( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (c): The area coverage under field crops like rice, pulses, oilseeds etc. fluctuates from  season  to  season  and  this  is  attributed  to  various  reasons,  which  include  monsoon rains,  preference  of  farmers  to  crops,  soil  moisture  availability,  prices  of  commodities  and natural calamities like drought and floods. There is a delay in monsoon as a result of which final sowing figures are not yet confirmed.
- (d) & (e): Based  on  the  forecast  of  weather  and  monsoon,  the  appropriate  cropping pattern is recommended for the benefits of the farmers.  The choice of crop and variety are considered more appropriate in rainfed crop production systems in the context of weather aberration  for sustainable  agriculture. ICAR-  Central  Research  Institute  for  Dry land Agriculture  (CRIDA),  Hyderabad,  in  collaboration  with  State  Agricultural  Universities  has prepared  crop  contingency  plan  for  648  districts  in  the  country  to  sustain  agriculture production  in  the  eventuality  of  any  sudden  change  in  weather.  Besides,  the  various departments  are  meeting  every  week  to  review  crop  condition,  rainfall  situation,  status  of water storage and input availability in the states. Based on the Crop Weather Watch Report, advisories are being issued to the States/ Union Territories for implementation of contingency plans. Besides, there is also a system to send weather based advisory to registered farmers by SMS through m-kisan portal.

In addition, Government is also providing incentives  to the farmers for-

- a)  Distribution of certified seeds of short duration High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) tolerant to drought/Stress.
- b)  Organising cluster demonstrations on stress tolerant varieties,  direct seeded rice sowing techniques, System of Rice Intensification (SRI) techniques, etc.,
- c)  Popularization of alternative crops and varieties in drought affected areas.
- d)  Water saving devices like sprinkler, drip irrigation, pumpsets, raingun etc.
- e)  All types of water carrying pipes for conservation and efficient use of irrigation water.
- f) Machineries for zero tillage, happy seeder & resource conservation machineries/tools etc.
- g)  Efficient  utilization  of  moisture  available  in  rice  fallows  for  pulses  &  nutri-cereals  and optimizing utilization by efficient irrigation system.

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