Chandigarh: The Haryana Agriculture Department has decided to incur as amount of Rs 1.20 crore to provide seed subsidy on summer moong for the current season with an aim to promote cultivation of summer moong in a big way in the State.

Stating this here today, an official spokesman said that the subsidy at the rate of Rs 30 pre kg would be provided, which was about 70 per cent of the seed cost to motivate the farmers for this purose.

The area of summer moong during the current season was likely to increase to 30,000 hectares with this motivational programme.

Last year, an area of 16,000 hectares was brought under summer moong cultivation, he added.

It had been planned to cover an arre of 20,000 hectares under promotional programme of summer moong cultivation.

Over 6000 quintals seed of improved varieties of moong would be distributed to farmers on subsidized rates through sale outlets of Haryana Seeds Development Corporation.

Direct subsidy to the farmers would also be available on the purchase of moong seed from private licenced seed dealers, he added.

Summer moong being a leguminous crop improved the soil health by enriching the soil fertility. The crop also yields 3 to 4 quintals per acre with a gross return of Rs 8000 to 10000 to the farmers in a short span of two months.

Summer moong would also provide an alternative to the summer paddy, which was a water guzzling crop. He said that farmers were advised to grow summer moong in place of summer paddy in order to improve the soil health.

Farmers were also advised to use 10 to 12 kg seed per acre of summer moong for good yield. He said that seed of improved varieties of summer moong like SML-668,Asha, Muskan and K-851 were available on subsidised rate at sale centres of Haryana Seed Development Corporation.

Source : PTI