Prod farmers to take up millets: CM Jagan tells officials
Chief Minister directed officials to start processing units in the millet cultivation areas and further to promote natural farming
Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday instructed officials to bring about an awareness among farmers on alternative crops such as millets instead of sowing paddy in fields watered by borewells.
During a review meeting on agriculture and other allied sectors at the camp office in Tadepalli on Monday, the Chief Minister promised to provide incentives to farmers for taking up millets as alternative crops and to establish the Millet Board with immediate effect. He also directed officials to start processing units in the millet cultivation areas and further to promote natural farming.
He said awareness should be created among farmers on organic and nature farming and added that organic methods should be promoted as an alternative to chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
The Chief Minister said organic farming should be given priority, taking Rythu Bharosa Kendras as a unit and equipment required for organic farming should also be kept in Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) being set up under RBKs.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that 45.35 lakh farmers have registered 1.12 crore acres of crop through e-cropping.
The Chief Minister said strict action would be taken against the sale of fake or adulterated seeds, pesticides and fertilisers, which could entail an imprisonment for two years.
He also instructed the officials to ensure adequate supply of seeds as per the demand.
The Chief Minister said the equipment to be provided to the farmers should be made available in CHCs based on the number of farmers, the land being cultivated and the crops and mapping should be done on it.
He said organic feed should be made available for livestock and directed the officials to focus on marketing of organic milk and processing of organic products and added measures to set up one processing unit in each district.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that so far 1,77,364 women have benefited through the Palavelluva programme.
The officials said the average daily milk production was 2,812 litres in November 2020 and it was 71,911 litres in November 2021.