HYDERABAD: The State government will provide ‘Agriculture Card’ to farmers from next year onwards, this decision was taken by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at a review meeting in Pragathi Bhavan on Tuesday.
These cards would have dos and don’ts related to farming and would have detailed explanation on which crops to raise and not to raise which ones. “If the suggestions given by the Agriculture officers help farmers make profits, they will definitely take the suggestions. The officials should strive and earn trust of the farmers,” Rao told the officials.
The Chief Minister asked the officials to be ‘dynamic’ in their functioning and directed them to adopt a four-pronged strategy for agriculture. The strategy should be to encourage farmers to raise crops which will fetch good revenue, provide them quality seeds, supply fertilisers in time, and, ensure good price and marketing for the produce, Rao said.
CM KCR said that the maximum price expected for one quintal of maize would be `800 to `900. So, discourage farmers from growing maize, he directed the officials. “However, if they want to raise maize, it is up to them. They will be provided minimum support price,” Rao said. He said that the farmers were gearing up to raise crops in Rabi season in 70 lakh acres. During the meeting, the Chief Minster directed Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy to fill vacant posts in the Agriculture Department.