VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked officials concerned to take every possible measure to avoid losses to farmers. In a review meeting with the Agriculture Mission officials after launching the Andhra Pradesh State Agriculture Mission website at his camp office in Tadepalli near here on Monday, the Chief Minister said the government would fix and announce prices of produce after taking into consideration the expenditure on the particular crop, and wanted the officials to submit a report on the same.
Jagan took stock of the prices of groundnut, cotton and maize, and directed the officials to set up purchase centres to ensure remunerative prices to the produce. At the meeting, it was also decided that 207 agriculture market committees would be constituted and 56 new rythu bazars would be inaugurated.
During the discussion on issues concerning farmers’ welfare and implementation of Rythu Bharosa, it was decided that the benefits of the scheme would be extended to farmers who were tilling endowments lands and those who were cultivating in the name of societies. The deadline for tenant farmers to avail the scheme was extended to December 15.
So far, 45,20,616 families have benefited under the scheme and Rs 5,185.35 crore was distributed to them.
The Chief Minister was very particular on setting up a shop near every Village Secretariat to sell quality seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and other agri products.
These outlets will come into operation from January 1. "Farmers should be made aware about organic farming. The government plans to bring in legislation to regulate bio products and the Agriculture Mission should study the input details and fix MSP. Farmers cultivating millets should also be ensured MSP," he said.
The Chief Minister said market yards should be developed in the Nadu-Nedu format and asked the officials to prepare a comprehensive report.
Agriculture Mission vice-chairman MVS Nagi Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, Agriculture Minister Kanna Babu, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Marketing Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao and Minister for Forest and Environment Balineni Srinivasa Reddy also participated in the meeting.