The State government has asked the Horticulture and Marketing departments to stabilise the extent of cultivation of onion and tomato crops in the State in tune with the demand for the two perishable crops in the State and also keeping in mind the crisis faced every year due to demand-supply variation.
Minister for Agriculture Singireddy Niranjan Reddy, at a review meeting held here on Wednesday with the officials of Agriculture, Marketing and Horticulture departments as also officials of Seed Corporation of Markfed, Warehousing corporation and Agros, wanted the officials to submit a report on the demand-supply-cultivation position of onion and tomato crops.
He asked the officials to examine what kind of incentives and subsidies could be extended to farmers to cultivate the two crops in extents proportionate to the demand within the State after looking into the reasons leading to spiralling of price of the two vegetable crops two-three times every year. He also instructed the officials of the Horticulture department to examine the possibilities of increasing onion cultivation extent and production during the Yasangi season.
The Minister told the marketing department officials to continue the sale of onion at subsidised rate of ₹35 per kg in Rythu Bazaars till the retail sale prices in the market came down. According to officials, both onion and tomato are consumed about 5 lakh tonnes each every year in the State.
On the cultivation of oilpalm, the minister asked the horticulture officials to prepare an action plan on procurement of plants and coverage of planned extent next year. For the current year, plantation of the crop should be completed by November 15.
On the vegetable waste generated in Rythu Bazaars and other vegetable markets, the minister wanted the officials to prepare plans on making it into compost.
