Mangaluru : The State government will shortly announce a scheme to give incentive for paddy cultivation in Dakshina Kannada, said Minister in-charge of the district U.T. Khader here on Wednesday.

Chairing a meeting to review programmes of horticulture and agriculture departments in the district that was attended by farmers, Mr. Khader said that as the Union Government has not come out with such a scheme, the State government will announce it with its own financial package to increase paddy cultivation in the district.

Based on the model adopted in Kerala, the Minister said, the State government proposed to pay ₹ 7,500 per acre of paddy cultivation.

“We are in the process of issuing notification,” he said. An official from the Agriculture Department said that area under paddy cultivation in the district has come down to 10,500 hectares.

During the meeting, farmers said that not all were getting crop insurance amount. Two farmers from Hirebandadi said that a credit cooperative society in Uppinangady had filed cases in civil court for recovery of crop loan.

A farmer leader expressed the need to stop import of arecanut. Another leader said that four taluks in Dakshina Kannada should be continued to be notified as drought-affected areas.

On the charge by farmers that they are yet to get compensation for fruit rot disease affecting arecanut, Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil S. said that 50,000 farmers have received compensation worth ₹ 50 crore. Compensation has been credited into the accounts of farmers after spot inspection, he said.

Mr. Senthil directed officials from the Cooperation Department to inquire into the civil cases filed against two farmers for recovery of agriculture loan.