Paddy harvest begins under ‘vithu gramam’ project

The harvesting of paddy cultivated under the ‘vithu gramam’ project of the Alappuzha district panchayat has begun at Edapon paddy polder in Nooranad grama panchayat. It was inaugurated by district panchayat president K.G. Rajeshwari recently.

The local body launched the project to address the shortage of high-quality paddy seeds in the district. Officials said that farmers participating in the registered seed production initiative had cultivated Manuratna paddy variety. In the first phase of the harvest, 40 tonnes was procured from 20 acres. In addition to Manuratna, Uma variety is also being grown, an official said.

One of the major challenges faced by paddy farmers in the district is the shortage of quality seeds. The district panchayat launched the ‘vithu gramam’ project by including it in the 2024-25 annual plan. Paddy farming for seed production is being carried out in accordance with guidelines set by the Agriculture department.