With the met officials predicting a good monsoon this kharif season, farmers in the district are all set to begin agricultural operations.
The normal cultivable area covers 5.61 lakh hectares in the district and by June end, cultivation began in 1.07 lakh hectares with the main crops being groundnut, cotton and red gram. The land has been tilled and made ready for the seedling stage.
Sowing of ground nut has begun in Kurnool and Adoni revenue divisions. Agriculture joint director D Thakur Naik said that cotton acreage could go up in the coming year as the prospects of an increase in price were bright. So far, cotton has been sown in 60,000 hectares as against the total available area of 1.7 lakh hectares in the district.
Groundnut has been sown in 50,000 hectares as against the total available area of 1.4 lakh hectares and red gram has been sown in 6,000 hectares as against the total available area of 35,000 hectares, he added. Though the cost of cultivation of commercial crops has been on the rise, farmers still prefer for them for the remunerative prices they fetch.
The normal rainfall in July is 117 mm and the rainfall recorded as on date is 77mm, raising hopes of a good Kharif output. Various agencies of the government have been involved in the distribution of seeds.
A wet spell may see a flurry of activity and once the water is released from KC Canal and Srisailam reservoir, agricultural operations are expected to pick up. Water is slated to be released from KC Canal on July 15.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service – Kurnool / July 14th, 2013
With power needs on the rise and shortfall in generation by the conventional process, authorities in West Godavari opted for meeting these requirements through the renewable energy process.
New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) authorities of the district have taken up the installation of the solar lighting system in all 800 panchayats in the district. There will be 30 per cent subsidy.
In the first phase, 1,000 lights are being installed at the rate of four for each panchayat covering 250 panchayats; these will be LED (light emitting diode) mode of lights, each costing Rs 17,800.
In the second and subsequent phases, the NREDCAP authorities plan to cover all panchayats with four lights each, and in later phases, the entire street lighting system with solar lights.
As part of provision of amenities to students of welfare hostels, 12 solar water heater systems of 1,000 and 1.500 watts at a cost of Rs 1.50 lakh were installed in 12 SC welfare hostels with funds from Abhilasaha (started with public contributions). In addition, 150 SC welfare hostels in the district were provided with one solar street light and one solar lantern, both of which were found very useful for the inmates during the examination season in March/ April this year.
In another development the installation of a 10 KW solar power pack at a cost of Rs 12 lakh in the district collectorate has been catering to the needs of 30 computers, 30 fans and 40 tubelights in various departments in the premises for the last several months.
NREDCAP West Godavari district manager (DM) D.V. Prasad said that with active support from the district administration and 30 per cent subsidy being extended by the MNRE, they hoped to cater to power needs in this mode to the maximum extent in both the public and private sectors.
The expected 20 per cent subsidy on behalf of state government (which was cleared by the Cabinet sub-committee) is expected to give a further boost to the programme in the district, the district manager said.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / DC / June 27th, 2013
Even as the city battles with persistent pollution, students of the Indian Maritime University (IMU) have built a prototype of a solar-powered, single-seater trimaran to make sailing an eco-friendly affair. What’s more, this green trimaran is also highly affordable as it has been built at a cost of just Rs 69,000!
Initial tests indicate that when charged for nearly three hours, this three-metre long and 0.6 metre broad fibre-glass boat, which is powered by a 12V 40AH solar battery weighing 13 kg to feed the four thrusters (two mounted on the main hull and one each on either side of the outriggers), can sail for 70 minutes at a speed of about 8 knots.
A trimaran is a multi-hulled boat that comprises a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls (floats) which are attached to the main hull with lateral beams. While these are mainly used as sail-driven yachts designed for recreation or racing, there are a few trimaran ferries and warships.
The solar powered trimaran has been designed by IMU’s bachelor of technology students – Soumya Ranjan Subudhi, Avala Venkata Karthik, Asish H Nair and Prathamesh Sakharam Chari – under the guidance of project guide Eswara Arun Kishore. They spent nearly 1000 collective man hours in the last five months to build this boat as part of their final year project in the naval architecture and ocean engineering at IMU Vizag. According to Avala Venkata Karthik, they had built the single-passenger boat from scratch, including the design and construction using fiberglass. “We built the boat keeping lake waters in mind so that it can be ideally used by tourists, but eventually we tested it in the rough conditions of the sea and succeeded. We tested the boat for about half-an-hour on the sea and it performed really well in terms of speed, manoeuvrability and stability,” Karthik explained.
“We got major support from the college, which funded the project. It cost us just around Rs 69,000 to develop the model and thanks to director’s (S C Misra) support we were able to complete the project. He had stressed on the need for developing renewable energy sources models so that we could have a zero-emission boat,” said Prathamesh Sakharam Chari.
Explaining the way the battery works, teammate Soumya Ranjan Subudhi said, “Once the boat is charged and sails in the waters, it can run continuously as the battery keeps getting charged by the solar cells. The pace should ideally be around 2 knots for the battery to get continuously charged.”
On the testing of the boat, Karthik said that Hindustan Shipyard had allowed the students to conduct their checks for an hour or so, ensuring that they measure the ship’s capability even on the sea.
Describing the routine, Asish H Nair said, “We learnt from scratch about boat building as were on a tight budget and had to do a market survey on the type of materials that are economical and as well as carry out the trials. This prototype can be scaled up to bigger boats that can carry up to 6 people.”
IMU Vizag director Prof S C Misra said the brief was to build an eco-friendly boat that does not emit any polluting agents. “We found it to be feasible during the test and are open to assisting any entrepreneurs, who may want to build solar boats,” Misra said.
Initial tests indicate that when charged for nearly three hours, this green boat can sail for 70 minutes at a speed of about 8 knots.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / by Manish, TNN / June 29th, 2013
Specimen of wood fossils found in Sarvai Forest beat. The fossils reportedly date back to 20-250 million years.
Warrangal:
The Eturunagaram wildlife sanctuary in Warangal is attracting the attention of geologists, botanists and paleo-botanists, after forest officials discovered the abundant presence of wood fossils dating back to 120-250 million years.
These are fossils in the exact replica of cut wood. They are found dotting the landscape all over Chityal, Chintaguda, Sarvai North and Sarvai South forest in Eturnagaram wildlife sanctuary, making a strong case for declaration of the area as a ‘geo-heritage site’.
Such is their number that almost all small rocks one comes across in the four ‘Forest Beats’ in Eturunagaram wildlife sanctuary turn out to be wood fossils, which are beautiful works of natural art in themselves.
There have been instances of a part of a large trunk of a tree being found in fossilised form at these places in the past, prompting experts to throng the place in large numbers to carry out research work.
Experts suggest that these wood fossils came about during the formation of Gondwana, a super continent comprising present day India, Antartica, Australia, South America and Africa as one whole.
They changed into fossils through a process of cell-by -cell replacement by silica, leading to its petrification, which is defined as the process of turning plant material into stone by infiltration with water carrying mineral particles without changing its original shape.
According to Dr R. Mallikarjuna Reddy, head of the Geology department, Kakatiya University, the Gondwana period between 120-250 million years ago in geological scale is much older than the Jurassic Age (60-120 million years), the age of the dinosaurs.
“The wood fossils site in Eturunagaram is even older than the one found at Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirapalli, a declared natural heritage site in India, which dates back to the Cretaceous period (145 -65 million years). Hence, the site needs protection to save it for the next generation,” said Dr Mallikarjuna Reddy.
The fossil wood, found in Eturunagaram is said to belong to Glossopteris species of trees of the genus gymnosperm, which is now extinct.
The discovery of the Glossopteris species of trees in different continents, including India, Asia is said to be an important link to prove the continental drift theory, which otherwise explains the gradual movement and formation of continents around the world.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / by Prabeer Sikdat / DC / June 26th, 2013
It’s a new crop of farmers that’s seen making an entry into AP’s agro industry now.
Far removed from the traditional sickle-carrying uneducated bunch, these laptop-totting modern agriculturalists are mostly suave techies with a plush job in the hi-tech hub of Hyderabad. And what they seem to be putting their money on to further `cultivate’ their wealth is not just another seasonal vegetable or fruit, but the much profitable sandalwood.
Rough estimates suggest that well over 1,000 acres of land spread across areas such as Alair, Vikarabad and Zaheerabad, all located within 100 km from the city, have been brought under this new-age plantation activity that until a few years ago was restricted to dedicated zones within Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The low cost of land in these pockets __ industry experts claim that the prices are as low as Rs 20 lakh per acre __ coupled with a recession-hit real estate market and the surge in interest among young professionals to go back to the `fields’, has given the lucrative business that extra boost.
Far removed from the traditional sickle-carrying uneducated bunch, these laptop-totting modern agriculturalists are mostly suave techies.
So much so that M M Rao, after spending a good 14 years in the BPO sector , is now mulling giving up his present career and don the role of a full-time farmer. “I have bought half acre in Alair for this purpose with an initial investment of Rs 4 lakh. The value of this property has already shot up to Rs 6 lakh and post cultivation, it is only expected to rise further,” Rao said.
“Also, considering I am growing vegetables and mangoes here (sandalwood needs `host’ plants) in the intervening period, I expect to earn anywhere between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 annually from the sale of the fruit till the sandalwood plants are ready for yield,” he added.
On an average, it takes around 15-20 years for a sandalwood tree to be rich in its oil content.
Apart from himself, the techie has also managed to persuade some of his friends to take to this ‘new profession’ as he is highly optimistic of impressive returns in the future.
To cash in on this swelling enthusiasm for sandalwood among novice farmers, corporate groups from the city have come up with special profit-sharing ‘packages’ to encourage more and more people to take to agriculture, especially organic farming .
“We work on a 50-50 revenue sharing model wherein the land owner gives us the property and we take care of everything – right from setting up infrastructure to cultivation to harvest. This spares the owner the trouble of not just the initial plantation but also securing the plot till the trees grow,” said K Srinivas Rao, director, Village Organics Pvt Ltd, the company that presently has over 500 acres of land (for sandalwood farming) under its belt. It also has on board specialized wood and horticulture scientists to assist with the project.
“Contrary to popular conception, the Rayalaseema-Telangana region is well suited for this cultivation as they are not waterlogged areas,” Rao, who is also the president of the Sandalwood Growers Association of India, said.
Among the many hi-tech Hyderabadis who have signed up with his firm is Sheik Rasheed Basha, an IT professional , working with the railways at present. “I was looking at an investment option and this sounded interesting. The real estate market is anyway down so I thought of putting my money here,” Basha said. Only two months ago, he bought 1,200 sq yards (approx) in Vikarabad. “I have invested about Rs 3.5 lakh, which I am sure, will grow by at least three times soon,” he added.
But while this fresh group of farmers is sure of good returns, city environmentalists do sound a word of caution. They fear that such long-term business models might fizzle out before the buyers make any money.
source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> News> Economy> Agriculture / by TNN / June 20th, 2013
Power generation from alternative sources in the district gained momentum with the start of environment friendly, biomass-based power production in the district. It achieves greater significance as traditional thermal power generation has proved to be expensive and a major contributor to global warming.
Circars Power Industries Limited, was given permission to start biomass-based power with a capacity of 6MW at Narsingapally way back in 1999, but did not start generating power until 2010.
Sources say that such projects were cleared in all districts by the state government as part of an initiative to encouraging green power projects across the state.
Vishnu Vidyut India Limited took over the project in 2010 and started production in Jan 2013. It is the first unit to be upgraded to 7.5MW and produces power with locally available agricultural waste. The electricity generated through the combustion of renewable biomass is being sent to the AP Transmission Corporation’s grid at Narasingapally.
“We are selling power at Rs 5.45 per unit, which is synchronised to the grid. The advantage is that the technology for power generation using biomass is similar to that of a thermal plant based on coal but at a cheaper cost with low emissions,” said Grandhi Suresh Babu, Managing Director of the unit.
Currently, biomass contributes 14 per cent of the total energy supply, predominantly in the rural and traditional sectors. A study conducted by a researcher of Bharathiar University also showed that the unit cost of electricity from electricity board is Rs 4.017 while that from biomass works to only Rs 1.395, which is affordable.
“We are encouraging such green projects in the district in order to enhance power production to bail out from the crisis. Many organizations are coming forward to set up solar units in urban areas,” said Nedcap district manager P. V. Ramaraju.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> News> Current Affairs / by P.V. Prasad / DC / June 14th, 2013
Prasada Varma showing the brinjals raised through natural farming at Kothur Tadepalli. Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar
For advocate Prasada Varma, cultivating vegetables and raising different varieties of plants is a hobby. He spends some time in his mango garden before attending court.
“As a criminal lawyer, I argued several cases in the last ten years. But, doing farm work and growing organic food gives me a lot of satisfaction. I am raising vegetables and pulses in my five-acre mango garden without using fertilizers and chemicals,” Lakhamraju Durga Shankara Prasada Varma told The Hindu.
Mr. Prasada Varma grows brinjal, tomato, leafy vegetables, chilli and pulses like black gram, green gram, red gram and Bengal gram as inter crops in his mango orchard at Kothur-Tadepalli village on Vijayawada’s outskirts. There is great demand for vegetables grown without the use of pesticides, he said.
Zero budget
“I follow the tips given by natural farming proponent Subash Palekar. ‘Zero Budget Natural Farming’ protects the environment and some useful bacteria in the earth. Farmers should stop using pesticides and chemicals and take up natural farming to protect the endangered species in birds and animals,” he said.
Many people, particularly students, are visiting the garden to purchase vegetables, which are grown without the use of fertilizers and pesticides, said Mr. Prasada Varma, adding that some ryots are arranging separate stalls and selling the products raised through natural farming, which will keep people away from diseases and doctors.
“The leaves that drop from the trees will dry and act as mulching. The process helps to grow micro organisms and earthworms and supply necessary nutrients to the plants,” the advocate explains.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Rajulapundi Srinivas / June 12th, 2013
Women farmers collecting ‘Kanakambaralu’ from the fields in their village in Machilipatnam./ Photo: T. Appala Naidu / The Hindu
Defying illiteracy, 420 women floriculturists from Kotha Reddypalem and Patha Reddypalem villages in Machilipatnam have proved that they can be successful entrepreneurs
Flower sellers from two villages have turned successful women entrepreneurs-cum-farmers by engaging in floriculture – right from growing flower-bearing plants to marketing the flowers.
About 420 women from Kotha Reddypalem and Patha Reddypalem villages in Machilipatnam mandal to grow different kinds of flowers in their backyards. Finding a way to tap the market, they started growing flower-bearing plants in every available piece of land in their villages. “Middlemen in the market try to cheat us. So, we sell the flowers on the streets and roadsides in Machilipatnam,” says B. Padmavathi, an illiterate woman who grows half-a-dozen varieties of flowering plants in her seven cents of the land. “The lowest profit on a field of five cents is Rs. 6,000 to 7,000 per month, irrespective of the season,” Ms. Padmavathi tells The Hindu. Flowers such as firecrackers, Arabian Nights and plump varieties of jasmine and other winter varieties, are grown in the fields less than 15 cents.”
The entrepreneurs’ day starts with plucking of flowers, making garlands, and receiving new orders. “We often have to wait till 10 p.m. in the market till all the flowers are sold out,” says B. Venkateswaramma, who earns Rs. 1,200 on any given day, whether summer or winter. There are several tenant farmers and most of them experiment with growing new varieties of plants on their sandy soil. Men are only asked to dig puddles for water accumulation in the field. These puddles are the only source of water to irrigate the plants, even in mid-summer.
The first generation flower seller-turned-entrepreneur M. Nagamalleswaramma has her single-day transaction touching Rs. 60,000 even when the marketing is dull. She says: “I import decorative flowers and rose varieties from Banglore to meet the demand.”
“The successful rural folks are now adopting new marketing strategies as they have learnt a few technical aspects in floriculture and yield management” says V. Suresh, director of Nestham, an NGO.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Andhra Pradesh / by Staff Reporter / Machilipatnam – May 14th, 2013
Susheela, wife of a farmer, Vishnuvardhan Rao, displaying the medicinal varieties of paddy cultivated in their fields, at Arisepalli village in Krishna district./ Photo: V. Raju / The Hindu
Here is some good news for patients suffering from joint pains, heart-related ailments and other chronic diseases. There is no need to run around hospitals if medicinal rice is consumed, says Panchakarla Vishnuvardhan Rao.
A farmer and Gopala Mithra member, Mr. Rao, is raising ‘medicinal varieties of paddy’ in the village in Krishna district. People are prone to diseases due to consumption of foodgrains that lack these values, said the farmer, who completed BZC in National College, at Machilipatnam.
Many people in their youth suffer from chronic diseases and take injections and gulp pills. The farmer’s idea is to give medicines along with food grains and keep the people away from diseases, Mr. Vishnuvardhan Rao told The Hindu.
In the ‘Navarai’ variety he has raised he claims it is good for gastro and knee patients, Dodda Beer Nallu is good for anaemic patients and adolescent girls, Rami Gali has high protein-content, Rohas Panjar and Kadam are other medicinal varieties of paddy.
“Farmers are cultivating medicinal paddy in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which is good for pregnant women and patients suffering with other diseases. Medicinal crop varieties are not suitable for growing in saline soil and research should be done to cultivate the varieties in coastal areas”, said Mr. Vishnuvardhan.
Adopted from USA
He took the sample grains from a researcher, Sabarmatee, in Pasadena University, California in the US. She was raising 370 varieties of foodgrains in two acres in Orissa, as part of investigations.
The duration of the crop was 135 days and medicinal paddy contains high B Complex value and disease-resistance capability, he added.
It is better, if the crop is raised by using ‘go mutram’ (cow urine) and dung, said the farmer.
“My wife, Susheela, is encouraging me in raising different varieties of paddy. I allotted some land for cultivating medicinal varieties in my five and half acre paddy fields.
Farmers can give relief to the patients, if medicinal paddy is cultivated” Mr. Vishnuvardhan Rao opined.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Rajulapudi Srinivas / Arisepalli (Krishna Dist), May 12th, 2013
Machilipatnam Agricultural Research Station scientists T. Anuradha and K. Nagendra Rao displaying new paddy seed varieties./ Photo: T. Appala Naidu / The Hindu
Two scientists of Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University Research Station (ARS) here have developed two paddy seed varieties, MCM 100 and MCM 101, which can grow in saline soil. The 12-year research of the experts in developing these seed varieties has revived the hopes of farmers having saline soils.
In 2011, the Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad, tagged MCM-101, a rabi season seed, as the second best variety among the 33 paddy seed varieties developed by the other scientists in India, ARS Principal Scientist T. Anuradha told The Hindu. As a part of testing for the second consecutive year, the seed with 125-day duration (MCM-101 variety) was sown in five locations in Andhra Pradesh in saline fields.
“We noticed that the fine quality variety withstood the ‘blast’ disease and reported better quality yield than MTU-1010, a leading rabi seed variety in Andhra Pradesh”, said Ms. Anuradha. The kharif seed MCM-100 was tested in ten locations including West Godavari, Krishna and East Godavari, in 2012 kharif. When compared with the leading MTU kharif variety seed, the MCM-100 yield was five per cent higher.
“About 6,075 kg yield per hectare was recorded from this variety as against 5,850 kg for MTU variety. The average yield of our seed in all the ten locations was 5,539 kg as against 5,269 kg of MTU,” said Ms. Anuradha. The crop duration was 140-145 days.
“The response from the farmers, who are growing and have tested the mini kits of the seed, is the real certification for our work and a Himalayan achievement,” said scientist K. Nagendra Rao, another scientist in the research on ‘Development of Saline-Tolerant Rice Varieties for Coastal Andhra Pradesh.’
The MCM-100 and 101 seed varieties are exclusive seeds that were developed for saline soil, which is plentiful in the State and is not suitable for existing paddy varieties.
“The scientists aimed at developing seeds meant for saline soils, but these two varieties will also give yield much higher than present leading varieties – MTU 1061 and BPT 5201 – if farmers grow in normal soils,” claims the scientist duo.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by T. Appala Naidu / Machilipatnam (A.P.) – May 10th, 2013
