The Zonal Research and Extension Advisory Council Meeting of Dr Y.S.R. Horticultural University held here on Monday has left the horticulture farmers in confusion with no information on various aspects such as failure of crops, marketing facilities and irrigation subsidies.
Officials of Horticulture Department and about 100 farmers from Chittoor, Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur and Nellore districts converged at ZP Meeting Hall here. Several farmers from long distances reached Chittoor on Sunday morning following hasty information from the officials that the meeting would be held on Sunday.
Dr YSR Horticultural University Director (Horticulture) Dilip Babu, Director (Extension) R.V.S.K. Reddy, Director (Zonal Research) K.C.V. Ramana, Deputy Director (Chittoor-Horticulture) V.S. Dharmaja and Project Director (Micro Irrigation) M.K.V. Srinivasulu were present in the meeting.
Mango growers in from various parts of Rayalaseema deplored that they had no information from scientists and officials at the field level regarding ideal schedules for watering the mango plantations and no guidance to protect flowering and fight diseases.
The lemon growers in Nellore district brought to the notice of the officials their hardships with various diseases affecting the crop.
Horticulturalists engaged in crops such as blackberry, Regu, papaya and pomegranate said that their produce was prone to exploitation by the middlemen in the wake of no proper marketing facilities. A woman farmer said that the blackberry produce was purchased from the field at Rs. 25 per kg, which in turn is sold at Rs. 150 in Bengaluru and other cities.
Tomato growers complained that they were worst hit as there is no market mechanism to stabilise the prices. They observed that when there was bumper crop, the prices would plummet, and prices would soar when the crop produce is less. The farmers prominently sought the officials to suggest to the government to lift the ceiling on time frame for subsidy and acreage for drip irrigation system.
They also felt the need for increasing the Krishi Vignana Kendras in all districts, and providing irrigation water to their crops.
Meanwhile, on most issues, the officials observed that they did not come under their purview, but they would be taken to the notice of the government or referred to the related departments.
Farmers fail to get info on failure of crops, marketing facilities and irrigation subsidies
