Ongole: Farmers advised to cultivate aroma crops says District Collector AS Dinesh Kumar

Ongole (Prakasam district) : Prakasam district Collector AS Dinesh Kumar advised the local farmers to try aroma crops, as they require less water and chemicals to grow. He participated in a State-level conference on Aroma Mission, held at the district Collectorate here on Friday.

The chief guest at the Aroma Mission conference, Nishant Aromas Managing Director Ramakant Harlalka explained that the economic condition of the farmers will be better by growing the aroma crops. He said the Union government has taken up the Aroma Mission to encourage farmers towards aroma crops. He said they are creating awareness among the farmers based on the availability of the land variety, water source etc, after conducting a local study.

Ramakant informed that he had visited various farmers cultivating aroma crops in Chimakurthy and Kothapatnam and said that there is a large scope for growing lemongrass, palmarosa, citronella and vetiver in the district. He explained the case studies of farmers, who changed their economic status through the aroma crops and said that due to the market demand for the crops, the farmers can improve their financial condition in just 5 years.

Collector Dinesh Kumar said farmers should grow suitable aroma crops after examining the soil condition and demand in the market, and also following the advice of the scientists. He said that they would provide all support from the government, and even send the interested farmers to other districts to observe aroma crops’ cultivation.

Andhra Pradesh Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Board Chief Executive Officer K Ashok Kumar explained the benefits and support extended by the government to aroma crop farmers. He said if the district administration could arrange a two-acre plot, they would grow the crops locally for distribution to interested farmers.

District Agriculture Advisory Committee Chairman Alla Ravindra Reddy, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants senior scientists Kiran Babu, Satya Srinivas, Kotesh Kumar, YSR Horticulture University senior scientist Aparna, industrialists P Venkatapati, Prasad explained the cultivation methods and marketing opportunities to the farmers.

Later, the officials announced that about 250 farmers have shown interest to cultivate aroma crops in nearly 1,000 acres in the district. Trainee IAS Officer Sourya Patel, district horticulture officer Gopichand, district agriculture officer Srinivasa Rao, APMIP PD Ravindra Babu, ATMA PD Annapurna, Marketing AD Upendra, and other officials also participated in the programme.