Silvester D’Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (MS)

Kundapur, Jun 11: “If paddy farming is completely mechanized and done in a systematic manner, it becomes profitable. In the wake of this Yanthrashree programme, a form of mechanized paddy farming has got a good response from the farmers. This year we are aiming to do Yanthrashree paddy farming on 32,000 acres of paddy fields. Yanthrashree will not only be helpful for paddy farming but will bring a new ray of hope in paddy farming of Udupi district,” said Dr L H Manjunath, CEO of Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project.

Manjunath was speaking after inaugurating the Shree Siddavana Upa Nursery, which has a capacity of 50,000 tray plants organized jointly by Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project, BC Trust Regd and Shri Siddavana Nursery, Ujire at Kalavara of the taluk. He also flagged off the planting of sapling through the Yanthrashree programme.

Dr Manjunath further said, “Yanthrashree, the ambitious project of Dharmasthala rural development scheme, will help in resolving the issue of labourers and very high maintenance cost of paddy farming. In addition, it is possible to get more yield and profit through the use of machines and scientific method of farming.”

Speaking on the occasion, Kempegowda, joint agricultural director of the district said, “The project introduced by Dharmasthala rural development scheme will revive paddy farming. This will help in expanding the paddy farming by 10,000 acres of land in the district. This is the highest in the state. Works are in progress to make the farmers take up paddy farming. Many organizations are interested in doing paddy farming on fallow land. If the paddy farming is done as per the present situation and systematically it will be profitable.”

Roopa J Mada, joint agricultural director of the taluk, Manoj Menezes, regional agricultural director, Abraham, regional director of mechanization, Vasanth Salian, regional director of the coast, Ganesh B, director of Udupi district, Sudhir Jain, project director of Yanthrashree, Muralidhar K Shetty, taluk project officer, Dayananda, project officer of Siddavana nursery, Harish, project director of mechanization, Subhash, Chethan Kumar, an agricultural officer of Kundapur taluk, Nagaraja H, zonal supervisor, Sujith Kumar Shetty, agriculturist, Vasu, assistant of Siddavana Nursery, Shekhar Devadiga, service representative, Narasimha Kulal, Ashok, Madhavacharya and Rajashekhar all warriors of Yanthrashree were present.

CHSC project officer of Udupi division Ashok welcomed the gathering and said, “50,000 nursery tray saplings enough for 500 acres of paddy field is made ready here. In total the nursery tray saplings are kept ready in three places. Already 22 farmers have bought the saplings. These will be prepared phase by phase.”

Udupi district director Ganesh B rendered the vote of thanks.