New Telangana agri policy gains traction among farmers

• "What is heartening is the initial bitterness and criticism shown towards the new Agriculture Policy from different farmers organisations, the local political leaders are vanishing," says an Agriculture Department official

• In districts where the Left-oriented farmers' organisations have strong presence also expressing keen interest towards the new initiative, he says

Hyderabad: Slow, but steadily the State government's proposal to adopt a comprehensive agriculture policy to encourage systematic cultivation of crops is getting support from different quarters.

According to the Telangana State Agriculture Department (TSSAD), after the first State-level meeting with the officials, scientists, district presidents of the Rythu Bandhu Samithi (RBS) the department has been taking a series of awareness campaigns across the state drawing good response from the farmers.

Speaking to The Hans India, senior officials coordinating the awareness campaigns say further follow-up at mandal and village level will continue throughout the ensuing rainy agriculture season.

A senior TSSAD official said what is heartening that the initial bitterness and criticism shown towards the new Agriculture Policy from different farmers organisations, the local political leaders are vanishing. Particularly, "in districts where the Left-oriented farmer's organisations have strong presence also expressing keen interest towards the new initiative.

But, they want the government to make the new Agriculture policy to be more full-proof and farmer-centric. Expressing a similar view All India Kisan Sangh (AIKS) has welcomed the new initiative. Its national vice-president S Mall Reddy said, "So far, farmers have adopted 'My land- My choice' kind of system of cultivation of crops of their will." We welcome it, but, the government should create the basic infrastructure to roll out the systematic cultivation. Failing, farmers may not really adopt it, he added.

He said establishing soil testing labs one in every mandal, besides mobile testing labs and issue of soil health cards should be taken up.

An investment-based minimum support price (MSP) for all crops should be announced before June. In turn, this helps farmers to negotiate for a better price for their agriculture produce in the markets.

Rythu Sangham State secretary T Sagar asked the government to appoint a price commission like in Karnataka.

Also, the supply of quality seeds before June 1, for the rainy agriculture season (Rabi) and before September for Yasangi. Implementing registered agreement between the seed companies and farmers, enacting the pending draft Seed Act, 2015 are important, he said.

Other issues that the government need to focus nearly 50 per cent of state farmers denied bank loans cultivating crops based on the advice of the money lenders, seed and fertilizer companies.

Crop inspection for every 20 days, proper crop cutting sampling, crop loss due to natural calamities, advanced scheduling of procurement of at the markets, accountability of water utilisation and agriculture allied fields to generate second income to farmers should also be focused, Sagar said.