Parvatipuram: District collector A Shyam Prasad announced that NITI Aayog has identified the district under the District Agri Rural Transformation Plan (DARTP).

A Zonal Level Research and Extension Advisory Council (ZREAC) meeting for Kharif and Rabi 2025-26 was held jointly by the Rastakuntubai (Parvatipuram Manyam District) Krishi Vigyana Kendra (KVK) and the Chinthapalli (ASR District) Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) at Parvatipuram on Saturday.

During the programme, the collector stated that under the DARTP, a comprehensive action plan is being developed to utilise all available resources in the district, which will benefit farmers. “We aim to achieve all the goals outlined in the programme,” he emphasised.

He said that the district achieved a growth rate of 16.20 per cent last year, largely due to contributions from agriculture and allied sectors. “The district is 51 per cent dependent on agriculture, with 70 per cent of the population involved in this sector,” he added. “We are targeting a growth rate of 16.12 per cent this year,” he continued, indicating that further interventions are necessary.

The district currently has one lakh acres of horticultural crops, but these are not contributing significantly to the GDP, which is an area that needs to be addressed to increase yields. The promotion of red gram has already begun, and a shift from paddy to maize is being encouraged to enhance farmers’ income. He stressed that the primary sector should work in a convergent manner to ensure better outcomes for farmers.

The government is providing support for farm ponds, perennial crops, and fodder grass under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), and he urged farmers to take advantage of these programmes. He also called on scientists to make export-quality paddy seeds available to farmers. Mobile video vans are being introduced in the district to raise awareness on various agricultural topics, and scientists and departments can utilise these services.

Additionally, crops like cashew, banana, oil palm, and turmeric need to be expanded alongside intercrops, he suggested. Under the Micro Irrigation Programme, there is a 100 per cent subsidy for SC and ST farmers and up to 50 per cent for other farmers, depending on their land and various conditions. He mentioned that insurance is available for all crops and that plans are in place to promote millets in the district.

Tenant farmers will receive support for subsidies, loans, seeds, and fertilisers, for which certificates will be issued. The Collector appealed to scientists to ensure that technology reaches the farmers. There are three cold storage facilities in the district, and they will be handed over to any Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO) that comes forward to manage them.

The Rice Research Station in Seethampeta will receive support to benefit farmers. He urged the scientists at KVK to maximize research and extension efforts to position the district as a showcase and role model in the agriculture sector. He also encouraged farmers to actively participate for better results. Dr G Sivanarayana, Director of Extension at ANGRAU, noted that farmers should benefit from research and extension activities. “There should be a plan for impact,” he added, emphasizing that farmers need to be turned into entrepreneurs through KVK initiatives. As part of the program, nine publications produced by the KVK and RARS were released.