Network of cold storages including mobile storages are proposed to be set up covering farm produce right from the point of production till it reaches consumers, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said.
The draft policy was discussed by the Cabinet and the details of how to place them and where was being worked out, he said during the interaction with progressive farmers on the second day of Andhra Pradesh AgTech Summit on Thursday.
To help farmers market their produce farm producers’ organisations were being set up and vehicles at 50 % subsidy were also being provided, he said responding to the plea of a guava farmer from Komarada in Vizianagaram district.
Farming would be promoted on a big way as IT was done earlier, he said. During the last three, four years a lot of change had come in the agriculture scenario, he said.
Problems relating to power, supply of seed, fertilizer and quality pesticide were addressed and situation improved, he said. In a tie-up with Iowa University mega a seed park would be set up.
To overcome problems relating to water, village-wise water conservation was being given priority and water management was important. Completing Polavaram project would lead to linking Godavari and Penna.
Farmers also should turn into entrepreneurs and service providers. The government’s efforts were directed at making farming remunerative shifting focus from being mere production, the Chief Minister said.
Progressive farmers should use the knowledge that emanated from bringing together universities and knowledge partners and governments and scientific inputs to achieve results, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu said. They should be able to show the way to other States.
The Chief Minister said plans were on the anvil to follow the Uber model collecting dung from each household in a panchayat and return compost of the same quantum for soil management.
