VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to roll out a comprehensive ‘Farm to Home’ programme to ensure that fruits and vegetables cultivated by farmers reach consumers directly through Farmers’ Producer Organisations.
Reviewing six primary missions in agriculture and allied sectors at the Camp Office, he said the new marketing strategy would reduce costs, strengthen farmers’ incomes and deliver fresh produce to households.
The Chief Minister emphasised that crop planning must factor in the impact of El Niño, with region-wise assessments guiding sowing decisions.
He instructed officials to promote natural farming across districts, adopt PMDS half-moon methods in water-scarce areas and ensure minimum support prices to protect farmers from climate-related losses.
He urged universities to involve professors and students in field studies on natural farming and directed officials to conduct soil health tests and make the results available online. Special counters for natural farming produce will be set up in Rythu Bazaars and private markets.
Naidu announced plans to establish Cocoa City near Yadavolu in Devarapalli mandal and lay the foundation stone for the Indian School of Agriculture at Madanapalle in July. He also ordered completion of the Central Food Testing Laboratory at Pulivendula with the immediate release of Rs 3 crore.
In Rayalaseema, banana cold storage facilities will be created, while the Rs 40,000-crore Poorvodayam programme will provide irrigation projects, roads, warehouses and connectivity. The initiative will be supported by Rs 60,000 crore in private investments to develop the region as a horticulture hub.
On the blue economy front, the Chief Minister extended electricity subsidies to 12,680 newly registered aqua connections in addition to the existing 50,000. The government will bear Rs 1,100 crore in subsidies, along with an additional Rs 188 crore for the new connections.
He sanctioned the procurement of 200 mechanised boats for fishermen at a cost of Rs 240 crore and stressed the need for quality certification and traceability in aquaculture. He said all water bodies should be utilised for fish farming to boost local incomes.
The Chief Minister also directed the modernisation of Rythu Bazaars across 90 constituencies, wider promotion of the Digi Rythu Bazaar app and integration of services through the Farmer App.
The review meeting was attended by Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu, Chief Secretary Sai Prasad, senior officials from the agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, food processing, marketing and animal husbandry departments, and several corporation chairpersons.
