Aranmula puncha getting ready for cultivation.

The Agriculture Department is getting ready to break its earlier record in paddy production in the Aranmula puncha.

As part of the Haritha Keralam Mission of the government, cultivation in the Aranmula puncha a year ago provided an unexpected bumper crop, strengthening the confidence of the farming community in this agrarian heritage village. The puncha had been lying fallow for the past several years.

Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunilkumar has already stated that the government is planning to extend paddy cultivation to 1,000 acres in the Aranmula puncha and surrounding fields this year.

The Special Officer of the Mission Green Aranmula project appointed by the government, J. Sajeev, told The Hindu that the department could launch cultivation in 250 acres in the puncha last year to produce rice worth ₹1.18 crore.

Paddy cultivation was held in 250 acres of land in the Aranmula puncha against the original target of 56 ha, that too, at a far lower cost of ₹81 lakh against the original estimate of ₹154 lakh.

THE HINDU