Chief Minister Sri K Chandrashekhar Rao has instructed the Agriculture Department to be continuously alert and prepare strategies so that farmers would inculcate the habit of cultivating those crops, which are in demand in the market. The CM desired that the Regulatory Farming Policy, which will begin from this monsoon season, should continue in every season and every year.
The CM said that with cultivating crops, which are in demand in the market, agriculture would become profitable and farmers would never face a situation where they would not get a good price for their produce. Ultimately, the official machinery with the support and cooperation from farmers would make the Regulatory Farming Policy, a grand success for the overall benefit of farming community in the State.
The CM felt that though food security was achieved in the country, nutritional food security could not be achieved. People are eating whatever they could but not the food with nutritional values and proteins. People should be encouraged to eat food with rich vitamins; proteins and crops should be cultivated in tune with this concept. Along with the life expectancy of the people, their immune system to fight diseases should also be improved, the CM said.
The CM held a three-day extended conference with the State Agriculture Department officials, agriculture experts on the strategy to be implemented for the regulatory cultivation in the State in the days to come. On this occasion, the CM made several suggestions:
The officials should prepare exact estimates on the eating habits of people in the country and in the State. Identify which region, area in the country; state needs which type of food. Find out which types of crops have great demand in the world market. Based on this data, the crops should be cultivated in the State. Don’t limit this process for only one year. This should be a continuous process. For this, the government is appointing Agriculture Products Marketing Committee. Experts and specialists in the field would be appointed on the Committee. The Committee will study on the demand of agriculture products worldwide, Marketing, Pricing and other related issues. It recommends on which crops should be cultivated for a profit. Cultivation should be done as per the suggestions of the Committee.
There is a need to increase yield in the agriculture sector. There are several changes came in the cultivation methods. There should be scientific basis for the use of fertilisers and pesticides. Quality seeds should be sowed. Mechanization should increase in agriculture. The cultivation should be done in tune with the mechanization. The government will appoint an Agriculture Research Committee to study and make suitable recommendations. Cultivation methods should be done as suggested by this Committee.
Cotton is grown in vast extent in Telangana State. The state government will constitute Cotton Research and Development Centre to support Cotton growers, to make suggestions on how to increase the output, to study and recommend which type of Cotton has the market and other related matters.
The Cotton grown in Telangana is in high demand. Good price it is demanding due to more length of thread. But due to the mixture of soil and quills and other materials, there is decline in quality resulting in less percentage of Fare of Average Quality (FAQ), which is leading lower price. The farmers who toil had to grow Cotton should ensure that there is no mixture of soil or quills. Farmers should be made aware of this.
Make correct estimates on the capacity of Spinning and Ginning Mills in the State. Make a scientific assessment on whether the existing Spinning and Ginning Mills are enough, do we need more? If Spinning and Ginning Mills are located in the region where Cotton is grown, there will be a lot of saving on the transport expenditure and time.
Telangana is blessed with a variety of soils. Find out which is soil is the best for which crop? Cultivate crops accordingly. Divide land for the creation of Crop Colonies. Inform these details to farmers.
We are importing vegetables and fruits consumed by people in the State. Prepare statistics on which variety of fruits we are importing and cultivate the same in our state. Prepare a plan to make the state self-sufficient in its vegetable and fruit needs and implement it. There is more demand for fruits and vegetables in the urban areas. Hence, encourage farmers in the periphery areas of the urban regions to grow vegetables and fruits. This would benefit both farmers and consumers.
People use Potato, Onions and Garlic in a big way. We are importing them. Cultivate them in the State. Offer guidance to farmers on where should they grow these crops, which is the better quality cultivation methods and other such issues.
Every year there is uncertainty and lack of clarity about the availability and price of Onions. Why this is so? Onion should be grown in tune with the demand from people. Implement a strategy so that there is no scarcity of Onions in the State.
A lot of irrigation projects are getting completed in the State. Tanks capacity has increased due to Mission Kakatiya programme. Ground water table also increased. Cultivation under borewells increased due to supply of 24-hour uninterrupted power supply. Every year a new Ayucut is been added. Cultivation Plans should be prepared estimating the increasing/increased extent of cultivable land.
Revamp the Horticulture department in tune with the changing times.
Create a separate Statistics Wing to compile date on Crops.
