THE Agriculture Department will make concerted efforts with farmers to replant flood-hit paddy fields and mitigate flood impacts on production, said Dr Ye Tint Tun, director-general of the Agriculture Department.

 

He made that remark at the work coordination meeting on replanting flood-damaged fields and maintaining yield, held at Nay Pyi Taw’s headquarters on 16 September.

 

He instructed the guidelines for repairing and replanting damaged farmlands and not reducing yield. He revealed the condition of seed reserve and replanting plans in Nay Pyi Taw council area, supporting fertilizer inputs and conducting awareness campaigns for farmers. The department also went on field tours to some townships and elaborated on future plans.

 

The Agriculture Department encour­aged growers to grow monsoon paddy, wheat and other crops again in flood-strick­en regions before the season ends. Some monsoon paddy, wheat and other crops were battered by extreme rainfall and strong winds. As the season of mon­soon paddy and late monsoon long-staple wheat has not ended, staff are requested to entice growers to re-cultivate them. Therefore, the department has reserved seeds. It is willing to cooperate with grow­ers. It has issued guidelines to redevelop damaged farmland triggered by floods.

 

Additionally, the Myanmar Rice Fed­eration, in cooperation with affiliated associations, will support pedigree seeds and cultivation inputs to help farmers who suffered damage recover from flood damage, its notification released on 14 September. — NN/KK