Raise horticulture crops farmers told

​Anantapur: IT and Information Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy has called upon farmers to exploit modern technology for reaping rich dividends from agriculture and horticulture crops. He said that a nation could become prosperous only when farmers interests are taken care of.

Participating in the Yeruvaka Pournami programme at Rekulakunta Agriculture Research station in Bukkarayasamudram mandal here on Monday along with Civil Supplies Minister Paritala Sunitha, Reddy said that despite multiple problems which cropped up post bifurcation of the State, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu fullfilled his election pledge of loan waiver.

In the first phase, 84 lakh farmers benefited from loan waiver to the tune of Rs 24,000 crore. The Minister advised the farmers to go for horticulture crops for earning higher income and also to raise pulses and millets as inter-crops.

The government, he said, is providing rain guns to supply required quantity of water twice to save the standing crops in the event of erratic monsoon.

He said that as of now village tanks and farm ponds are full of rain water. He asked farmers to take advantage of the Chandranna Bima Padhakam by paying just Rs 15 as their share of premium.

Civil Supplies Minister Paritala Sunitha has called upon farmers to go for pulses and millets along with their principal groundnut crop. Millets and pulses consumption is good for health. She said that the district is endowed with model farmers, who grow excellent high-yielding crops if water is supplied to them.

She assured the farmers of timely completion of Handri Neeva project as that would irrigate 3 lakh acres of farm lands. She called upon farmers to sink farm ponds and soak pits for conserving every drop of rain water. She stated that the bio-metric system of seed supply helped in transparent transactions and serving farmers in a better way.

District Collector Kona Sasidhar advised farmers to take maximum advantage of government schemes aimed at helping the farmers to get higher yield of their crops. He advocated the use of organic manure for cultivating healthy crops.

He said that the weather officials have predicted a good monsoon this season and asked farmers to be ready with their sowing operations.

The farmers celebrated Yeruvaka festival by decorating the cows and conducting puja for a good harvest. The Collector and Ministers Palle and Sunitha launched the ploughing operations as part of Yeruvaka celebrations. The Ministers also distributed soil health cards to farmers.

Joint Director of Agriculture Srirama Murthy, Joint Collector Sayeed, DRDA Project Director Venkateshwarlu and Horticulture Deputy Director Subba Rayudu were present.