Karnataka govt makes additional arrangements to help farmers in Kalaburagi amid COVID-19

To provide relief to farmers amid the Coronavirus pandemic, Kalaburagi Agriculture Department on Tuesday made additional arrangements for supplying of seeds and fertilisers to farmers in the district, through Raitha Samparka Kendra (Farmer's interaction centre).

"Every year 32 centres of Raitha Samparka Kendra use to distribute fertilisers, chemical and seeds to farmers. But due to pandemic, we have made 120 more centres. Earlier, farmers use to travel for 30-40 kilometres for collecting grains but now we have made some of the centres near their villages," said Rithendra Sugoor, Joint Director, Agriculture while speaking to ANI

Raitha Samparka Kendra also serves as an information centre for farmers on crops, irrigation, cultivation practices, technologies and markets.

'Locusts can't fly against the wind'

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister BC Patil on Thursday said there was a “99.99%” chance that Karnataka will not face a locust attack thanks to a weather forecast that the wind will take them away from the state. The government has, however, taken precautions in the border districts of Bidar, Kalaburagi, Koppal and Yadgir that are vulnerable. The locust swarm is some 450 km away from the Bidar border, the minister said.

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“Locusts can travel 150-200 km along with the wind. They can’t fly against the wind. The good news is that the wind isn’t blowing towards Karnataka. Experts have told us that the wind is set to go northeast from the southwest,” Patil said. “There’s a 99.99% chance that a locust attack won’t happen. So, farmers need not worry or panic,” Patil told a news conference after meeting officials to take stock of the locust threat.

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(With agency inputs)