| Article | Fatehgarh Sahib The Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Vikas Pratap, today distributed the new improved variety of moong seed, SML 668, free of cost to farmers of Chunni Kalan, Chunni Khurad, Bassian, Mehdudan and Patton villages under the Seed Village Programme at Chunni Kalan village, 20 km from here today.
He said the new seed variety had been imported from Taiwan under the international development scheme. It has been prepared by Asian Vegetable Research and Development Corporation, Taiwan.
Mr. Pratap said it would ensure at least six quintals of production per acre and the yield within 65 days of the sowing. He further pointed out that one bag of 15-kg moong seed cost Rs 540 to the government.
He said as per a programme of the Punjab Government, when at least eight to 10 farmers of a village would adopt crop diversification, then according to the land of the village new variety of seeds would be supplied to them. He said experts from the Agriculture Department would also visit those villages to ensure that these new crops should not suffer from any disease.
Dr H.S.Sekhon, in charge, pulses, Dr T.S. Bains Plant Breeder, and Dr Gurdial Singh, an agronomist, said SML 668 moong could be produced with in 60 to 65 days only and this variety would give two crops, one in the basant season, and the other would be called Sathi Moongi.
Mr. Kesar Singh Panag, Chief Agricultural Officer, Mr. J.S.Cheema, DDPO, and Giani Mohinder Singh, a renowned farmer of Punjab, were also present on the occasion
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