Last year's Kharif season saw a decline in paddy cultivation due to delayed or uncertain monsoons, resulting in reduced paddy sowing areas in states like Bihar and Jharkhand. However, the Agriculture Department anticipates good rainfall this monsoon season, leading to a planned paddy cultivation area of 36.54 lakh hectares in Bihar. To support this, the Agriculture Department will provide seeds to farmers at a 90% subsidy. State Agriculture Minister Mangal Pandey shared this information during the launch of the Kharif campaign.
Addressing the state-level Kharif workshop at the BAMETI auditorium, the Agriculture Minister outlined the goals for the Kharif season. The targets include 36.54 lakh hectares for paddy, 2.93 lakh hectares for maize, 0.56 lakh hectares for pigeon pea, 0.17 lakh hectares for mung bean, 0.15 lakh hectares for pearl millet, 0.29 lakh hectares for finger millet, 0.16 lakh hectares for sorghum, and 0.11 lakh hectares for other pulses. Currently, the target for paddy seedling planting is set at 3.65 lakh hectares.
The Agriculture Minister emphasized the government's priority to provide quality seeds at fair prices during the Kharif season. Under the Chief Minister's Rapid Seed Extension Scheme, farmers will receive 5069.52 quintals of paddy seeds at a 90% subsidy, equating to a subsidy of ₹40 per kilogram of seeds. Additionally, under the Green Manure Scheme, 18,600 quintals of Dhaincha seeds have been distributed to cover 93,000 hectares at a 90% subsidy. For this Kharif season, the required fertilizers include 9.87 lakh tons of urea, 2.50 lakh tons of DAP, 0.35 lakh tons of MOP, and 2 lakh tons of NPK.
Farmers typically begin sowing Kharif crops with the onset of the monsoon. The Bihar government is providing paddy seeds at subsidized rates to support them. Farmers wishing to obtain paddy seeds at a 90% subsidy must apply through the website (https://brbn.bihar.gov.in/).
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