Mechanise agriculture: AP CM

• Calls for public-private partnership to market agriculture produce
• Nabard to provide Rs 1, 21,756 crore towards financing agriculture for 2016-17

​Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday stressed on the need to mechanise agriculture besides conducting skill development programmes for farmers to make agriculture profitable.

Speaking the State credit seminar, organised by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to release credit potential for the year 2016-17, he called upon stakeholders in agriculture to make best use of emerging technology it make it viable.

While pointing out the need to set up agro-service centres in villages, the Chief Minister said there was a need to constitute a committee to work out public-private partnership for marketing agricultural produce.

To get minimum support price, he said online trade should be introduced to market produce. Meanwhile, Agriculture special chief secretary T Vijay Kumar informed that plans are afoot to conduct a training programme in natural farming for 5000 farmers in Kakinada.

Subhash Palekar, who pioneered zero budget natural farming, would participate in the programme
Depending on the success of the programme, 10 natural farming clusters would be developed in each district, he added. Earlier, Nabard, according to a document released here, announced that it had earmarked Rs1, 21,763 for financing agricultural sector in the State for the 2016-17.

Welcoming the bankers, Nabard chief general manager Harish Java said that aggregation of the potential-linked credit plans, prepared at the district-level, has accumulated into state credit potential of Rs 1,21,765 crore.

RN Dash regional director, RBI, Suresh N Patel, MD of Andhra Bank and controlling heads of several commercial banks, regional rural banks and cooperative banks were present.