The Hindu : Farmers urged to take up horticulture

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 15, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Farmers urged to take up horticulture

By Our Staff Reporter

KURNOOL Nov. 14. The Kurnool Collector, G. Sai Prasad, on Thursday said that horticulture crops would provide stable income to farmers and suggested that besides mainstream agriculture they should also take up allied activities like dairy and poultry to supplement their income.

Inaugurating a three-day horticulture show here, he said farmers should understand the changes in environment, market conditions, pest management, cultivation practices and adopt new methods for sustainable and remunerative agriculture.

The MP, K. E. Krishna Murthy, said there was great scope for growing mango and papaya in the arid areas of Dhone, Pathikonda and Alur in the district. He said new horticulture cultivation methods had come into practice, which allowed planting of four-year-old saplings so that they started yielding from the next year.

He promised financial support under the MPLADS for purchase of plastic trays used for transporting tomatoes in Aspari area. The DPAP Project Director, M. Dana Kishore, said parts of Kurnool district would emerge as a major horticulture belt in the State. Under the DPAP-sponsored programme, horticulture crops had come up on 18,000 acres this year alone.

He said mineral deficiency in soil led to low quality fruit, which needed to be improved for export quality yield. Even small farmers without irrigation facility could take up horticulture by installing 200 litre tanks costing Rs. 2,500. The DPAP provided technical and financial support for the activity.

The AD, Horticulture, Ramana Prasad, the JD, Agriculture, Siva Sankaraiah, the JD, Animal Husbandry, Manjuvani, the CEO, Ramsankar Naik, and others were present.

Farmers from different parts of the district would take part in the three-day show and attend lectures by experts on horticulture.

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