BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday directed officials to ensure adequate supply of seeds and fertilisers to farmers ahead of sowing season. Officials should be ready to tackle possible drought or excessive rainfall, he stated.
Taking part in a review meeting with agriculture, horticulture, sericulture and fisheries officials on Monday, he told them to keep farmers informed about weather conditions, crop management and government schemes. Modern technologies, like drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI), should be adopted to support farmers and improve agricultural productivity, he added.
Shivakumar directed the officials to fill vacancies at taluk and hobli levels and to provide equipment support to farmers for spraying pesticides.
Officials should ensure natural calamities do not disrupt farming activities and they must study successful agricultural models from other states and adapt them to Karnataka’s farming practices, he said.
Expressing concern over an increasing number of people drowning in farm ponds, he told the officials to fence such ponds and explore financial assistance for the initiative.
He sought detailed reports on cold storage facilities, warehouses, subsidies and other facilities. Officials must also assess the effectiveness of subsidies, he added.
He sought a report on export growth of farm produce through the Karnataka State Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation Ltd (KAPPEC) and instructed officials to prepare a roadmap for further export promotion.
Chief Minister Shivakumar, who also reviewed the Cooperation Department, directed the officials to secure Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) lands and ensure markets function effectively. He raised concerns over the misuse of interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh offered through cooperative banks.