Rayalaseema Farmers to Get 80% Seed Subsidy

Vijayawada: The state government would supply seeds to farmers on an 80 per cent subsidy to promote cultivation in the Rayalaseema region, Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu has said.

The minister held a video conference with agricultural officials of eight districts of Rayalaseema on Tuesday. He asked officials to help farmers start cultivation on vacant lands. “We must ensure that the farmers’ income does not decrease under any circumstances,” he said.

The minister said realistic details of alternative crops should be shared with farmers. Steps should also be taken to ensure that the yield of crops that are already under cultivation does not decrease.

He said that despite normal rainfall, the area under cultivation is less, so short-term crops should be encouraged.

Agriculture director S Dilli Rao said that out of 15,03,613 hectares of the cultivation area in Rayalaseema districts, 11,24,351 hectares have been cultivated so far. Some 3,79,262 hectares has not been cultivated and remained vacant.

He said horse gram was cultivated in 2,22,349 hectares and the rest of the area is covered by sorghum, pearl millet, finger millets, foxtail millets, kodo millets and barnyard millet crops.

The officials said the area under cultivation has decreased due to excessive rainfall. Agriculture officials of Rayalaseema districts explained the conditions of the agricultural fields in the respective districts to the minister.

State seed development company MD, Siva Prasad, said the tender process on the proposal of 80 per cent seed subsidy was in the final stage and they would supply agencies and distribute the seed in the next two days.

Special chief secretary to the government Budithi Rajasekhar and agricultural research director Paladugu Satyanarayana were present.