KARIMNAGAR: Two farmers and their spouses from Jammikunta and Manakondur mandals will witness the unfurling of the tricolour at Red Fort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15.
Sanda Mahesh, the chaiAgriculture Produces Mutually Cooperative Organisation Chairman from Jammikunta, and Pakala Purushotham Reddy from Annaram of Manakondur Mandal are the lucky farmers to get the invitation to the Independence Day celebrations.
The honour is in recognition of their commitment to motivating farmers to sell their products directly to the consumer without the involvement of middlemen.
There are about 800 farmers who market turmeric and chillies and are members of the Agriculture Produces Mutually Cooperative organisation in Jammikunta.
Pakala Purushotham Reddy, the chairman of the other similar organisation will also be at the Red Fort along with his wife. He is promoting organic cultivation. In the jurisdiction of his organisation, red gram is grown on about 90 acres.
The organisation which has 782 members was initially started with 40 farmers. Purushottam Reddy said that in 18 villages, paddy is being cultivated on about 12 acres without using chemicals or pesticides.
Krishi Vignana Kendra senior scientist Dr K Venkateshwar Rao said that, in the coming days, the Centre will take measures to promote organic farming. Apart from this, the Centre has announced that agricultural farmers’ associations will be given subsidies for setting up processing units, which will get them high profits.