Coffee plantations will be expanded with Rs.526 crore and farmers will benefit more only if productivity is increased, Minister for Tribal Welfare Ravela Kishorebabu has said.
Participating in the Field Day-2016 organised by Coffee Board at Minimuluru on Thursday, he said at present the yield was between 80 and 150 kg but it should be increased to 300 kg.
Eliminating middlemen, remunerative price was being paid to farmers through GCC. Farmers should adopt new technologies and the suggestions of the Coffee Board to increase productivity.
To improve productivity, the State government had appointed retired IAS officer G.V. Krishna Rao as advisor on Agricultural Marketing and Tribal Welfare, the Minister said.
Mr. Krishna Rao said Field Day should be organised every year in the Agency. A senior liaison official would always be available at the Coffee Board office and farmers should discuss problems and means of increasing productivity.
Coffee Board Director Raghuramulu presided.
MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao spoke.
