Farmers must go for commercial crops: Agriculture Minister Niranjan Reddy

Nalgonda: Stressing that people's lifestyle has changed, therefore, farmers should be made aware of the need to cultivate commercial crops instead of traditional crops only, said Agriculture Minister Niranjan Reddy who was the chief guest at the workshop organised for agricultural officers of Nalgonda and Yadadri-Bhongir districts and members of Rythu Bandhu Samiti on preparation of Vanakalam cultivation in Nalgonda on Wednesday.

He said that presently all barren lands in the State are being cultivated with various crops. He reminded that Telangana harvested 3 crore metric tons of paddy in the year 2020-21. The State has reached the level of a rice hub for the country, he added.

There have been changes in the lifestyle of the people. People's eating habits have also changed. The Minister suggested that cereals and horticultural crops should also be cultivated accordingly.

"We are promoting oil palm cultivation due to acute shortage of oilseeds," Minister Niranjan Reddy asserted. Oil palm is expected to be cultivated in 2 lakh acres. The oil palm cultivation will be expanded to 10 lakh acres in the future, he explained.

Minister Niranjan Reddy said that Telangana cotton is being sold like hot cake. Castor oil also has fetched excellent profits. Crop rotation makes agriculture profitable, he advised.

Minister Niranjan Reddy suggested that agriculture officials must learn new farming practices.

Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy in his address suggested that farmers should be at the forefront in choosing advanced farming practices. Nalgonda district became fertile as irrigation facilities are being provided to tail end lands.