25 metric tonnes capacity cold storage will be constructed
Representational image
Vijayawada: The state government has initiated steps to overcome the vegetable scarcity resulting from a ban on cultivation in capital location. The steps entail establishing vegetables storage points at Gollapudi and Guntur market yards to procure and store vegetables from surrounding districts.
In first phase 25 metric tonnes capacity cold storages will be constructed exclusively for vegetables. The horticulture department is also taking steps to encourage vegetables cultivation in hamlets surrounding the city. But, there has been no campaign to attract the farming section.
According to officials, cities of Vijayawada and Guntur used to get vegetables from capital location, along with other parts. But government banned cultivation in over 30,000 acres for capital construction purpose.
Hence, the government has charted precautionary measures to avoid vegetables scarcity. Now the government will collect vegetables as per requirements and preserve those in proposed storage points. Presently, the marketing department is importing tomatoes from Madanapalle of Chittor district and potatoes and onions from Maharashtra.
Likewise, the marketing department will collect all required vegetables as per demand and store in the storage points. The vegetables would be distributed as per requirements, said marketing department joint director K. Srinivas. He further said that works of exclusive storage points are in the completion stage.
Besides, the horticulture department has proposed Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana scheme. The government would provide seeds and fertilizers and also other marketing facilities under this scheme with 50 per cent subsidy, said horticulture department assistant director. However, the scheme has not been implemented effectively due to lack of proper publicity. Moreover, concerned officials hardly interact with farmers at grassroots level to encourage them.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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