Predict a 20% reduction in rice cultivation in Khorasan

Predict a 20% reduction in rice cultivation in Khorasan

The director of agriculture of the Khorasan Razavi Jihad Agricultural Organization announced the possibility of a 15 to 20 percent reduction in rice cultivation in the province due to reduced snow and rain.

Mohammad Saboor announced the beginning of rice planting in the province and said: the operation of transferring seedlings from the treasury to the main land in the cities of Kalat and Dargaz has started on May 10 this year and will continue until mid-June.

He added: Every year, about 2,200 hectares of rice are cultivated in the province, of which 1,500 hectares belong to Kalat city and 700 hectares to Dargaz city.

Saboor continued: This year, due to the reduction of snow and rain, especially snow in the heights of these cities and the sharp decrease in water levels in seasonal rivers in the region, it is predicted that this year the cultivation area will be between 1800 to 2000 hectares.

The director of agriculture of Jihad Keshavarzi of Khorasan Razavi stated: Due to the limited lands along the rivers of these two villages and the lack of alternatives to rice, the farmers of these cities are planting rice. The highest level of rice cultivation in the city is related to the local black tail cultivar and a small level is allocated to the cultivation of other cultivars.

He pointed out: in order to increase the yield per unit area and support paddy farmers, so far support has been provided for the development of mechanized cultivation and payment of facilities for the purchase of seedlings and combine harvesters for paddy and the necessary follow-up to increase these facilities is underway.

Saboor said: Farmers are advised to mechanize the harvest of their crops in order to reduce labor costs, increase density and improve yields, and to refrain from the indiscriminate use of pesticides.

He said: the amount of rice planting in the two cities of Kalat and Dargaz is low and is usually consumed in these cities and some is sold in Mashhad, but this rice is of high quality. Last year, rice produced in the village of Baba Ramadan Kalat also found its way to the Tehran market.