TIRUPATI: The State government has earmarked around Rs 1,100 crore for developing the horticulture sector in Tirupati district over the next three years under the “Global Horticulture Hub – Rayalaseema Rising” programme, Collector S Venkateswar said on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference at the VC Hall in the Collectorate along with Joint Collector R Govindarao and District Horticulture Officer Jayabharath Reddy, the Collector said the programme aimed to transform Rayalaseema into a key global horticulture hub.
He said the government would use the funds to expand area under horticulture crops, promote micro-irrigation, farm machinery and drones, develop nurseries, introduce quality certification, branding and marketing, and boost post-harvest infrastructure.
Horticulture crops currently cover around 40,000 to 45,000 hectares in Tirupati district, of which nearly 65 per cent has micro-irrigation facilities such as drip and sprinkler systems, Venkateswar said. The administration would bring the remaining area under micro-irrigation and integrate newly developed horticulture areas with such systems.
He said micro-irrigation would help farmers use water and fertilisers efficiently and improve crop productivity, particularly in the drought-prone conditions of Rayalaseema.
The district administration would also focus on developing grading, sorting, packing, storage, transportation, processing and marketing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and secure better prices for farmers. Officials would develop primary facilities and polyhouses wherever required.
The Collector said Tirupati’s proximity to Chennai offered an advantage in marketing perishable horticulture produce, including fruits and vegetables.
The administration was taking measures to increase water availability and stabilise ayacut through projects including the Moolapalli Tank, Swarnamukhi-Somasila Link Channel and Telugu Ganga, he added. Venkateswar said officials would give special attention to quality, certification and branding of horticulture produce from Tirupati district to help farmers access better markets and eventually meet export standards.