KADAPA: Horticulture experts, farmers and farmers’ association leaders have called for greater private investment, stronger infrastructure and institutional support to ensure the successful implementation of the State government’s ambitious Global Horticulture Hub (GHH) initiative under the Rayalaseema Rising programme.
The state government has launched the GHH with a proposed investment plan of Rs 1 lakh crore covering the Rayalaseema districts and the erstwhile Prakasam district.
The initiative envisages large-scale development across the horticulture sector over the next three years, from expansion of cultivation and improving yields to processing, transportation and exports.
Experts said the government should encourage credible private investors in the horticulture sector and provide them viability gap funding (VGF), on the lines of the support extended to industries, airlines and other sectors. Such a mechanism, they said, could help reduce the dependence of farmers on intermediaries and improve their access to organised markets and exporters.
At present, around 83,000 hectares in Kadapa district are under various horticultural crops. Under the GHH, plans have been prepared to bring an additional 75,028 hectares over the next three years. The district’s current Gross Value Added (GVA) from horticultural crops is estimated at Rs 10,273.866 crore, which the government aims to increase to a projected Rs 14,406.25 crore.
Banana is one of the major horticultural crops in the district, particularly in the Pulivendula Assembly constituency, and is supplied to various states as well as Gulf countries.
Banana is cultivated in about 22,000 hectares, while sweet orange is grown on nearly 23,000 hectares.
“For a breakthrough in the horticulture sector, all these aspects have to be addressed,” a horticulture department official said.