Nanded, Oct 8 (PTI) The Nanded district administration in Maharashtra has imposed restrictions on the large-scale purchase, transportation and unnecessary industrial use of crop residues to ensure adequate fodder availability for livestock amid drought conditions, officials said.
The order, issued by Nanded Collector Rahul Kardile on Wednesday, seeks to protect agricultural residues that can be utilised as fodder, they said.
Of the 16 talukas in Nanded district, 14 have been included among the 265 talukas in Maharashtra where drought has been declared.
The district has recorded below-average rainfall this year, raising concerns over reduced fodder production and a possible shortage in the coming months, the officials said.
Under the fodder awareness campaign being implemented in the district, authorities are encouraging farmers to process residues of soybean, wheat, sorghum, gram, tur and sugarcane and other crops to produce nutritious fodder for livestock, a release from the administration said.
The administration observed that soybean residue, dry stalks, fodder, sugarcane trash, bagasse and other agricultural residues were being purchased in large quantities by industries for use as fuel in biomass, biocoal and other industrial processes.
“Such residues can instead be processed and used as valuable fodder during drought conditions. Their large-scale diversion for industrial purposes could aggravate fodder scarcity for livestock owners in the district,” the release said.
Restrictions have therefore been imposed on unnecessary industrial use and large-scale procurement and transportation of agricultural residues required for livestock in Nanded district, it said. PTI AW GK
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