Disclosing this here today, Minister of State for Agriculture Krishna Gahlawat said that the demonstration would cover an area of 3755 hectares. The seed would be distributed to the farmers free of cost, but only 10 per cent of the expenditure made on items meant for popularisation of the programme such as pamphlets, farm melas and video films would be recovered from the cultivators.

Likewise, 5000 mini-kits of ALFA-93, a variety of barley would also be distributed amongst the farmers to enable them to produce quality seeds for their own requirement for next year. The minister said that integrated cereals development programme in area under wheat-based cropping system was a centrally sponsored scheme - with the Central government providing 75 per cent and the state 25 per cent of the funds.

Field demonstration and training of farmers were organised in 55 blocks where average yield of cereals was below the that of the state or national average. The field demonstration on one acre size plot was laid out on new varieties tolerant to stress, use of micro nutrient in deficient area, water management, use of bio-fertilizers etc and assistance to the tune of Rs 3000 for the cropping system as a whole was provided to the farmers, she pointed out.

The department has identified as many as 55 blocks of the state and 10 such demonstrations would be conducted in each block. During the current financial year, 550 demonstrations were targeted to be laid out with the financial outlay of Rs 11 lakh. The minister said that there was requirement of potassium in the districts of Ambala and Yamunanagar particularly for the potato crop. The department had arranged the supply of 2500 MT of murriate of potash and the fertilizer would be stocked and sold through sale outlets in the districts of Ambala, Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra, she added.