Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that focus should be on cultivation of alternative crops, including millets and asked officials to provide necessary incentives.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, during a review meeting on agriculture and allied sectors, instructed the officials to constitute a millet board and set up processing units in places where they are cultivated more. He wanted incentives to be provided for natural farming.
He said awareness should be created among farmers on organic and nature farming and added that organic methods should be promoted as an alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
“Farmers should be told about the risks involved in cultivation of crops like paddy under borewells. Organic farming should be given priority by taking RBKs as a unit. The necessary equipment for organic farming should also be kept in Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) being set up under RBKs,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Equipment
Equipment, pesticides and organic fertilizer manufacturing industries required for organic farming should be encouraged and organic farming certification should be given through RBKs, he said.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that 45,35,102 farmers have registered 1.12 crore acres of crop through e-cropping.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that strict action would be taken against sale of fake or adulterated seeds, pesticides and fertilizers and two years imprisonment would be imposed on those responsible. He said amendments will be made in the Act in this regard and an Ordinance would be released, if needed.
He said RBKs were set up with the good intention to provide quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides to farmers and any violations would not be tolerated. If employees were involved in it, they would be dismissed immediately and legal action would be taken. He instructed the officials to ensure adequate supply of seeds.
The Chief Minister said the equipment to be provided to farmers should be made available in CHCs rationally based on the number of farmers and the land being cultivated and the crops, and mapping should be done on it. Organic feed should be made available for livestock.
He directed the officials to focus on marketing of organic milk and processing of organic products and to take measures to set up one processing unit in each district.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that so far 1,77,364 women benefited through Palavelluva programme. The average daily milk production was 71,911 litres in November 2021 as against 2,812 in November 2020. About 1.32 crore litres of milk was procured till date.
