GUNTUR: Agriculture minister Prathipati Pulla Rao has promised the farmers that the government will supply fertilisers to the farmers in time.
Speaking to reporters at the district collector’s office here Monday, Pulla Rao warned that stringent action would be taken against the dealers who sell fertilisers at prices higher than the ones fixed by the government. Besides suspending the dealers, action will be taken against the officials, the minster said and asked the farmers to make complaints if the dealers resorted to unfair practices.
“The government has taken all measures to avoid shortage of fertilisers and is making all efforts to supply fertilisers in time. If the dealers are found hoarding fertilisers supplied to them, action will be taken against them,” Pulla Rao said.
The minster said that ‘Polam Pilustondi’ will be held every Tuesday and Wednesday, and officials of agriculture and allied departments were directed to visit the fields and interact with farmers to clear their doubts. The programme would also be held in AMCs every fortnight.
Pulla Rao said that more fertilisers would be supplied to Srikakulam and Vishakhapatnam districts as the officials have asked for more.
He said that the banks would come up with the final list of farmers eligible for loan waiver by Sept 25 and 26 and the loan waiver would be be implemented accordingly. In the first phase, loans up to `50,000 would be waived from which 40 per cent of farmers would benefit. Farmers would be eligible for loan waiver if they have any one of the 30 documents announced by the government like ration card, Aadhar card and voter card.
The minister said that even chilli and turmeric were eligible for loan waiver. He further said that discussions were being held on increasing the minimum support price for groundnut from `3,100 to `3,500. But the minister suggested to the farmers to choose alternative crops. Pulla Rao said that a meeting of fish farmers would ill be held on Sept 27.