AP targets 208 LMTs of food grains, thanks to good monsoon
Hyderabad|India|August'2010: The Chief Minister Dr K Rosaiah is
confident of bumper kharif crop this year thanks to the abundant rains
lashing the State. He is satisfied that agriculture operations for the
kharif are in full swing. He expressed satisfaction over timely
distribution of fertiliser and seed, the important inputs, to farmers. The
Chief Minister is pleased over agricultural operations which are in full
swing owing to wide spread rain. Thank God, the bountiful monsoon augurs
well for the agriculture economy like Andhra Pradesh. Farmers' happiness
is my happiness. We are committed to the welfare of farmers who constitute
the backbone of the State's economy. Encouraged with the favourable
monsoon, the State Government is now hopeful of bettering the previous
record of 204 lakh metric tonne (LMTs) food grain production in 2008 and
reaching 208 LMTs.
The Chief Minister had a discussion on the progress of agricultural
operations in the State with the Minister for Agriculture N Raghuveera
Reddy and senior officials. He expected record agricultural production
during this season. Free power being supplied to farmers will continue in
spite of severe constraints. He said because of the consistent pressure
from the Andhra Pradesh Government, the Minimum Support Price for paddy
has been raised substantially and now farmers are able to get remunerative
prices for their produce. He was hopeful that Andhra Pradesh will continue
to be a significant contributor to the food security of the country.
The Chief Minister said Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh repeatedly told
him that the Centre looks to AP for more food production for enhancing its
contribution to the nation's food security. The Chief Minister said the
State Government has taken up steps for increasing storage of food grains
and had decided to encourage construction of godowns by private sector in
addition to taking up construction of several godowns on its own.
Agricultural Marketing is being strengthened and streamlined to support
the farmer in taking his produce to market and save him from exploitation
by the middlemen.
The Chief Minister was informed by the officials that the rainfall as on
31.7.2010 is 389.00 mm as against 297.20 mm (Season's normal is 624 mm).
Deviation of rainfall is +31% as on 31.7.2010. While excess rainfall is
reported in Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari,
Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur, Kurnool,
Mahaboobnagar, Rangareddy and Hyderabad districts, normal rainfall is
reported from Srikakulam, Medak, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Khammam
and Nalgonda districts. Owing to the good monsoon, the State is hopeful of
surpassing the targetted area of about 82.22 lakh hectares. As far as
seeds are concerned, 11.46 lakh quintals have been distributed so far with
a subsidy component of Rs. 146.30 crores.
Dr Rosaiah was informed that during Kharif 2010, it is planned to supply
36.75 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMTs) of fertilisers to meet the targetted
food-grain production. Against the requirement of 17.80 LMTs upto July,
13.01 LMTs have been sold in all the districts so far and 4.86 LMTs of
different grades of fertilizers have been positioned in various places as
on 20.7.2010.
The Chief Minister has requested the Union Finance Minister and Government
of India to take up interest subvention and extend Interest Subsidy under
pavala Vaddi Scheme to rescheduled crop loans of farmers in drought/ flood
affected mandals.
The Chief Minister said Rs. 11,189.54 lakhs is to be released towards
input subsidy to the affected Small and Marginal farmers whose crops were
damaged due to Natural Calamities i.e. Drought, Floods, Heavy rains,
Cyclones and Hailstorms in the previous year. Notification pertaining to
the implementation of “Village as a unit for Insurance Scheme” in all the
22 districts was issued by the Government.
Dr. Rosaiah said as far as the Government's request to extend Pavala Vaddi
to tenant farmers under Joint Liability Groups are concerned, NABARD in
its letter dt.19.7.2010 has clarified that in case loans to Joint
Liability Groups are given for raising of crops, repayment schedule,
coverage under crop insurance scheme, personal accident insurance, rate of
interest etc., may be followed by the bank as per its regular norms.
Further, the Joint Liability Groups (Tenant farmers) financing can be
purpose-neutral and need not be restricted to crop loans only.
The Chief Minister hoped that with all the facilities and benefits and
very good rains, resulting in good inflows into reservoirs, farmers will
be blessed with record production during kharif and Andhra Pradesh will be
able to sustain its number one position in agricultural production in the
country.
-August''
2010
