The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Foodgrain target set at 215 lakh tonnes

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Thursday, Jul 02, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Foodgrain target set at 215 lakh tonnes

Special Correspondent

Agriculture Department ties up with banks for loans
Credit facility for tenant farmers proposed

HYDERABAD: The State government has set an ambitious foodgrain production target of 215 lakh tonnes during the current year in spite of the bleak monsoon. This means a 10 lakh metric tonne increase over the previous year’s 204 lakh metric tonnes.

The total area planned during the current year has been increased to 124.06 lakh hectares, against 121.46 lakh hectares last year.

The Agriculture Department had set a target of distributing 24.61 lakh quintals seed on 50 per cent subsidy, involving an estimated Rs. 311 crore, while the total requirement is expected to be in the order of 40.74 lakh quintals. The quantum of crop loan this year is likely to be Rs. 23,500 crore. The term loans would be to the tune of Rs. 9,000 crore. The department had tied up with banks for loans at three per cent interest (‘Pavala vaddi’) this year too.

Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy, and department’s Principal Secretary Rachel Chatterjee, released the ‘Agriculture action plan for 2009-10’ on Tuesday. Mr. Reddy told reporters later that the total quantum of loans would be announced by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy during the release of the credit plan on July 13.

The government had decided to give special focus to tenant farmers by constituting joint liability groups for extending credit facilities. Banks had been asked to extent loans to 350 new farmers through their branches.

Crop insurance

The crop insurance scheme to farmers would continue with village as a unit . One major crop of the village will be brought under the scheme Emphasis would be on largescale mechanisation this year .

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