Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked the Agricultural Department to complete the authentication process under e-cropping system and hand over the physical and digital receipts to farmers by October 15.
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During a review meeting on agriculture and allied sectors here on Tuesday, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that social audit should also be completed within the deadline.
The officials of the Agricultural Department informed Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy that the cultivation of paddy crops would be completed in 1.15 crore acres by end of the kharif season, while 96 lakh tonnes of seeds were being readied for the rabi season, catering to 57.31 lakh acres.
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“We have seen that e-cropping has led to transparency in paddy procurement. The officials must ensure that all material including gunny bags and logistical support are provided to farmers in time. No farmer should sell paddy at a price less than the MSP. The officials should ensure that farmers are paid the MSP for their produce,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKS) should create awareness among farmers on selling their produce at the right time. In view of abundant production of paddy in the State, the officials should explore ways to export rice by working with the export companies, he said and suggested that ethanol should be extracted from broken paddy.
“Geofencing and QR code systems should also be implemented in the Civil Supplies Department and the officials should initiate measures to ensure that tobacco farmers do not suffer financial loss,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Soil testing
The Chief Minister also asked the officials to complete soil testing in March and April, before the start of kharif season and farmers should be educated on the type of crops to be cultivated and the quantum of fertilizers to be used. Asking the officials to provide soil testing devices to all RBKs, the Chief Minister said that this would help farmers reduce the cost of cultivation.
Minister for Civil Supplies K. Nageswara Rao, A.P. Agri Mission Vice-Chairman M.V.S. Nagi Reddy, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Poonam Malakondaiah, Principal Secretary (Agriculture) Chiranjeevi Choudary, Finance Secretary K.V.V. Satyanarayana, Marketing Commissioner P.S. Pradyumna, Civil Supplies Commissioner H. Arun Kumar, Agriculture Commissioner Hari Kiran, Civil Supplies Corporation MD Veerapandian, APSSDCL Vice-Chairman M.D. Sekhar Babu and other top officials participated in the review meeting.