The government today assured that adequate measures have been taken to ensure availability of cash to farmers to purchase seeds and fertilisers in the on-going sowing season. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh outlined the measures being taken for the welfare of farmers in the wake of demonetisation of high currency notes.<br/><br/>He said, farmers are allowed to draw upto 25 thousand rupees per week from banks and use old 500 notes for purchasing seeds and fertilizers. The Minister said adequate currency is being made available to district central co-operative banks for flow of credit to farmers. The states have been advised to provide fertilisers on credit and accept all modes of payments from farmers. In addition, fertiliser suppliers were asked to extend the credit period by one month in the current season.<br/><br/>The Minister said, total area sown in the country till November was over 408 lakh hectares which is over eight per cent higher than the corresponding period last year. Pulses have been sown in about 112 lakh hectares in this season, as compared to about 100 lakh hectares in the same period last year.