Emphasises the need to promote agriculture exports
Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje emphasised the need to promote agriculture exports which could facilitate doubling of farmers income within a reasonable timeframe. She stated that the Central Government would work closely with the state government to propel India as a major exporter of agriculture products.
Speaking at a meeting with senior agriculture officials of the Central and state governments at BRKR Bhavan in Hyderabad, the minister emphasised the need to have a dedicated cell to monitor agriculture exports which would coordinate with the Centre, state government, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the farmers to ensure that the farmers get value addition to their produce. Complementing the state government for taking up an ambitious programme of growing oil palm in 20 lakh acres in the state, she said that it would help save the country lots of foreign exchange. Karandlaje informed that efforts are on by the Central Government to set up industries that can process oil seeds which would make oil-seed cultivation profitable.
Telangana State Minister for Agriculture, Cooperation and Marketing S Niranjan Reddy briefed the Union Minister about the various initiatives of the State Government which had resulted in a 38 per cent increase in crop area and 68 per cent increase in crop production during the last seven years. Chief Secretary of Telangana Somesh Kumar further briefed the about the innovative schemes being implemented in the state such as Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima and Rythu Vedikas.
Participating in the briefing, Secretary of State Agriculture Department Shri Raghunandan Rao said that irrigation, power, investment support and social security for farmers are the major drivers of the growth of agriculture potential in the state. The Vice-Chancellors of State Agriculture and Horticulture Universities and senior officers from ICAR, MANAGE, IIMR and State Cooperative Bank participated in the meeting.
Karandlaje visited the Centre of Excellence (Vegetables and Flowers) at Jeedimetla, Hyderabad. She inaugurated urban farming on the terrace facility and underlined the importance of urban farming in today’s world and adopting new technologies. The minister distributed appreciation certificates to the urban farmers of Hyderabad who had undergone training at the Telangana Horticulture Training Institute Hyderabad.
