16,250 tenant farmers to get Crop Cultivators Rights Cards

Vizianagaram district agriculture officials prepare for Southwest monsoon, expand cultivable land, issue CCRC cards to tenant farmers.

VIZIANAGARAM 

With the Southwest monsoon expected to arrive in the first week of June, Vizianagaram district agriculture officials have stepped up preparatory work for storing fertilisers and seeds. They have also stepped up efforts to expand the area of cultivable land and have assured tenant farmers that crop loans and insurance coverage in the event of damage due to natural calamities will be easily accessible. Awareness programmes on these are being conducted for farmers in various mandals.

In the current Kharif season, 16,250 tenant farmers will be issued Crop Cultivators Rights Cards (CCRC) in the district, up from the previous 15,000. For farmers, these cards are crucial as they ensure their inclusion and access to government-supported agriculture schemes.

On Thursday, a few select tenant farmers from Ramavaram village in Vizianagaram received CCRC cards from Vizianagaram District Agriculture Officer V.T. Ramarao. Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Ramarao said: “These cards empower farmers to access farm loans and insurance facilities, vital to investing in crops. The department will distribute 50,000 quintals of paddy seeds and other crops in a phased manner. And to avail these seeds at subsidised prices during the season, farmers should enrol their names at the Rythu Seva Kendrams.”

With the Indian Meteorological Department issuing a favourable rainfall forecast for the coming three months, the crop area is expected to increase to 4.3 lakh acres, as against the previous year’s 4.1 lakh acres. The demand for fertilisers is projected to be around 88,000 metric tonnes, for which the department plans to procure a higher quantity of seeds and fertilisers this year.