Farm equipment on hire for Gurupura hobli farmers

Farm equipment on hire for Gurupura hobli farmers

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 26, 2014: District-in-Charge Minister Ramanath Rai inaugurated the farm machine hire centre at Kondodi in Edapadavu, Bajpe. Speaking on the occasion he said that ’at a time when farmers face acute shortage of labourers, the use of machinery will help in increasing yield’.  Farmers in Gurpura hobli of Dakshina Kannada will be able to hire farm equipment on rent.  

 

MLA Mohiuddin Bava said that the centre would  greatly support farmers in getting better yield. ZP President Asha Thimmappa Gowda, and others were present. “Farmers growing paddy should register their names with the centre before commencement of farming activities. The staff from the centre will visit the field and complete the process of planting or harvesting on a particular day. The farmers will have to pay rent for the machineries used. The farmers of Edapadavu, Gurpura, Ganjimutt, Kuppepadavu will be benefited. There are 12 machines at the centre,” said an official.

The machines available are combined harvester, transplanter, paddy crusher, tiller, grass cutter, stirring type cultivator, power tiller, power cono weeder sprayer, pepper decorticator and arecanut dehusker. For an idea of the hire charges: Tractor, tiller—Rs 2,000 per day Power tiller—Rs 270- per hour Paddy transplanter—Rs 460 per hour Harvester—Rs 1,700 per hour. Department of Agriculture in association with SKDRDP has opened custom hiring centre, at Kondodi in Edapadavu.

With the help of combined harvester, six to eight kg of paddy can be harvested per hour. The transplanter machine can transplant paddy seedlings on 2.5 acre land per hour. Paddy crusher will help in crushing the paddy, said Assistant Agriculture Director Anees Selvam.

He said that the state government has already selected 186 hoblis to start the centre in association with the NGOs. Under the scheme, 75 per cent of the fund will be borne by the State government and 25 per cent by the NGO. Centres  have already been opened at Puttur, Uppinangady and Panemangalur, more such facilities will be provided in due course of time.