Early monsoon enlivens spirits of farmers

​Vijayawada: This day assumes great significance for the farmers of Andhra Pradesh since Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu along with his Cabinet colleagues and Collectors of 13 districts led the farmers with bulls and ploughs to kickstart ‘Eruvaka’ programme, which marks the beginning of the agriculture season.

The day would also be remembered as government machinery joined hands with farmers, as Chief Minister and the Ministers ceremoniously ploughing with cattle and machines as well. The farmers, who have been facing the two consecutive years of dry spell, have pinned high hopes of this year with the early monsoon.

• After two consecutive dry spells, farmers are pinning big hopes on this agriculture season to make some profits
• Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his Cabinet colleagues lead from the front to inspire farmers across AP

The first day of the agriculture season, Monday, which is called Yeruvaka, saw heavy downpour in the previous night and continued drizzling all through the day. The decorated bulls, wooden ploughs, tractors with cultivators were seen moving on the roads to prepare the land for seed beds.

After the government deciding to celebrate ‘Yeruvaka’ as State event two days ago, the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues, besides the district administrations, were geared up for the event. The Chief Minister opted to launch the event in West Godavari district,

while the Ministers followed suit in their respective districts giving a moral boost to the farmers to go for full-fledged agriculture activity. The Chief Minister led the farmers of Chittavaram village of Narsapur mandal in West Godavari district amidst much fanfare.

Addressing the farmers, the Chief Minister asserted that he was giving highest priority to agriculture as the State is based on agriculture and majority of the population live on it. He said he was also in favour of bringing down the production cost, introducing better agriculture management including pre and post harvesting and also emphasised the need for a better and continued relationship between the agriculture scientists and the farmers for better results.

He also promised to provide global market for the agriculture products and said that the government has resolved to promote 26 varieties of crops providing them with global marketing. The Minister for Irrigation, Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao Rao, led the Krishna district administration, by ploughing the land for seed bed at Gollapudi. The Minister said that the government had prepared the action plan to provide water, seeds and fertilisers to the farmers on time and protect their crops.

He reiterated that the linking of Godavari and Krishna rivers with the Pattiseema project was set to turn the Krishna delta and Rayalaseema region into fertile agriculture lands. He further said that the government had completed soil test for several farms across the State and advised farmers to go for the cultivation basing on the strength of the soil.

He said this exercise would continue with the experts helping the farmers on the soil strength, the suitable crop and the use of fertilisers and pesticides. The Minister for Civil Supplies, Paritala Sunitha led the Yeruvaka programme in Hampapur village of Raptadu mandal in Anantapur district.

Accompanied by dozens of farmers, including women, the Minister sowed the groundnut seeds in the farm as the farmer ploughed his land. The Minister for Rural Development and Housing, Kimidi Mruanalini, led the Yeruvaka celebrations in Gurbham village of Cheepurupalli.