India beats China in sorghum production
Guntur farmers create world record by producing 7 tonnes per hectare
Guntur, which is known for hot red chillies, may soon become a cereal bowl. Sorghum farmers of the district have created a record by producing 7 tonnes a hectare, which is the highest in the world.
Farmers are raising ‘Mahalakshmi-946’ variety of sorghum which has great demand in the market. Due to high protein value, consumption of sorghum, also known as Jowar, has increased in the last few years.
Confirming that Guntur farmers created a world record in raising jowar, scientists of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Aril Tropics (ICRISAT) said half of the sorghum raising area in Andhra Pradesh is in Guntur district, i.e. about 55,000 acres. The millets are also being raised in Mahabubnagar, Kurnool and Nalgonda districts, said ICRISAT Senior Scientist (Technology Exchange) Ch. Ravindra Reddy.
Speaking to The Hindu after seeing the sorghum crop in a few villages in the district on Saturday, Dr. Reddy said in China, the average production of jowar was about 5.5 to 6.5 tonnes per hectare. “I am happy that our farmers beat China in millet production,” he said. In Guntur district the yield was about 7 tonnes per hectare in Athota village. Some ryots even achieved 8 tonnes per hectare. . A team of scientists would visit the villages and interact with the farmers to know about their success, said the scientist.
“I visited jowar fields in East Godavari and Guntur districts. The crops at Tenali and Kollipara mandals in Guntur district are very healthy and we expect a bumper crop this year,” said Dr. Reddy.
India beats China in sorghum production - The Hindu
Guntur farmers create world record by producing 7 tonnes per hectare
Guntur, which is known for hot red chillies, may soon become a cereal bowl. Sorghum farmers of the district have created a record by producing 7 tonnes a hectare, which is the highest in the world.
Farmers are raising ‘Mahalakshmi-946’ variety of sorghum which has great demand in the market. Due to high protein value, consumption of sorghum, also known as Jowar, has increased in the last few years.
Confirming that Guntur farmers created a world record in raising jowar, scientists of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Aril Tropics (ICRISAT) said half of the sorghum raising area in Andhra Pradesh is in Guntur district, i.e. about 55,000 acres. The millets are also being raised in Mahabubnagar, Kurnool and Nalgonda districts, said ICRISAT Senior Scientist (Technology Exchange) Ch. Ravindra Reddy.
Speaking to The Hindu after seeing the sorghum crop in a few villages in the district on Saturday, Dr. Reddy said in China, the average production of jowar was about 5.5 to 6.5 tonnes per hectare. “I am happy that our farmers beat China in millet production,” he said. In Guntur district the yield was about 7 tonnes per hectare in Athota village. Some ryots even achieved 8 tonnes per hectare. . A team of scientists would visit the villages and interact with the farmers to know about their success, said the scientist.
“I visited jowar fields in East Godavari and Guntur districts. The crops at Tenali and Kollipara mandals in Guntur district are very healthy and we expect a bumper crop this year,” said Dr. Reddy.
India beats China in sorghum production - The Hindu