VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials of the agriculture and civil supplies departments to make arrangements for procurement of paddy cultivated in Kharif from the first week of November. The total paddy crop acreage in Kharif is put at 14.10 lakh hectares.
Reviewing agriculture and allied sectors with senior officials on Tuesday, the Chief Minister underscored the need for ensuring that no paddy farmer in the State feels that he got less than MSP for his produce. The agriculture department should complete the authentication under the e-cropping system and hand over both physical and digital receipts to farmers by October 15, he stressed.
The officials informed him that 3,423 paddy procurement centres are being set up and each centre will be equipped with moisture meter, analysis kit, husk remover, pokers, enamel plates, sieves and other tools. Adequate quantity of seeds are being readied for the coming Rabi season to cater to 57.31 lakh acres, they said.
Observing that e-cropping has led to transparency in paddy procurement, he instructed officials to supply all materials, including gunny bags, to farmers in time, besides providing logistical support. Higher officials should monitor paddy procurement and ensure that farmers are paid MSP for their produce.
Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKS) should be used to create awareness among farmers about selling their produce at right time for a better price. In the wake of abundant production of paddy in the State, officials should explore ways to export rice, he said and suggested that ethanol be extracted from broken and coloured paddy.
The officials should also take steps to ensure that tobacco farmers do not incur losses. The agriculture department should complete soil testing in March and April before the start of Kharif season and farmers should be educated on the type of crops to be cultivated, he emphasised.Directing the officials to provide soil testing devices to all RKBs, the Chief Minister said this will help farmers reduce the cost of cultivation.
Minister for Civil Supplies Karumuri Nageswara Rao, AP State Agriculture Mission Vice-Chairman MVS Nagi Reddy, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Special CS (Agriculture) Poonam Malakondaiah, Finance Secretary KVV Satyanarayana, Marketing Commissioner PS Pradyumna, Civil Supplies Commissioner H Arun Kumar, Agriculture Commissioner Hari Kiran, Civil Supplies Corporation MD G Veerapandian, APSSDCL Vice-Chairman and MD Sekhar Babu and other officials attended the review meeting.