Maharashtra farmers urged to participate in rabi crop competition

A farmer examines his wheat crop on the outskirt of Nagpur, Maharashtra. File photo
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Maharashtra Agriculture Department is organising a rabi crop competition for the 2024 season. The competition is open to both general and tribal groups and will include crops such as jowar, wheat, gram, safflower, linseed, harbhara, and kardi.  

Any farmer can participate in the crop competition by filling in an application form before December 31, 2024. K.M. Tadavi, Superintendent Agricultural Officer, Jalgaon district, Maharashtra said, “The crop competition has been going on for the last five years. Every district has a different crop according to the cropping pattern and the competition is decided on the crops that are grown in the respective regions. For Jalgaon, we have selected five crops for the competition: jowar, wheat, gram, safflower and linseed. Application forms are available at the offices of agriculture assistant, agriculture supervisor, agriculture circle officer and taluka agriculture office for free of cost. The competition fee in the general category is Rs 300 and Rs. 150 for tribal category.” 

There are three categories of the competition: taluka, district and state level. In the taluka level, the first prize money is ₹5,000, second prize money ₹3,000 and third prize ₹2,000; at district level, first prize is ₹10,000, second prize is ₹7,000 and third prize is ₹5,000; and at the state level, the first prize ₹50,000, second prize ₹40,000 and third prize is ₹30,000.  

The agriculture department is urging the farmers in Maharashtra to participate in the crop competition as it will benefit them by upgrading their knowledge and skills of farming practices. 

Mr. Tadavi said that to increase crop productivity in the State, various experiments are carried out by farmers to increase productivity. “If experimental farmers are encouraged and honored for their productivity, their willpower and morale will increase, and they will use new and updated technologies with more enthusiasm. Competitions like this help farmers to increase their agricultural production. The farmers also learn to apply to the State agricultural university recommended agricultural technologies in their field. Competitions like this also help farmers gain knowledge in the newer technologies.”  

The announcement for the competition will be made within three months.