Hyderabad: Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said the farmers were gaining from the bonus payment for crops offered by the government. This sum was more than the Rythu Bandhu assistance, as paddy was being bought for Rs 2,700 per quintal at the farms.
Speaking at the Rythu Pandaga celebrations in Mahbubnagar Rao said, “We will do whatever is beneficial to the farmer and not with an eye on votes.”
He invited farmers to opt for oil palm, which had good demand, saying that they would not have to depend on the Cotton Corporation of India or the Civil Supplies Corporation.
The meeting saw model farmers speak on the benefits of organic farming. Scientists cautioned that farm produce was becoming laced with chemicals owing to use of chemical pesticides.
Model farmer Anji Reddy informed that he is growing crops in 20 acres and warding off pests without using chemicals. He was seconded by other farmers like Lavanya and Mukunda Reddy.
Dr Anitha Kumari, principal, Professor Jayashankar Agriculture University spoke of measures to prepare the soil for growing vegetables, how much water has to be provided and the intervals, detecting diseases and how to prevent and fight them. Scientists on their part exhibited documentaries on organic farming and fighting pests.
A few farmers were seen keenly listening to Dr I. Aruna Sri, scientist, vertebrate pest management, from the Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agriculture University (PJTAU) on the use of Kethi Rakshak, a machine which creates sounds to fend off wild animals, and a solar power fence energizer to help protect crops.
“Kethi Rakshak costs Rs 18,000 and can be used for three years. Farmers tend to buy cheaper machines from the market from companies which use batteries discarded by users. Hence we hear the repeated complaint that such machines don’t work from farmers. Our machine was made with standard material,” she said.
Farmers like G. Narender Reddy, Maganoor village, Makthal constituency were seen taking keen interest in the use of drones in farming. He informed that shortage of labour can be addressed by their usage. But not every farmer was satisfied by the stalls at the exhibition, T. Vasanth Kumar, Togarpalli, Kondapur mandal, Sangareddy district said the medicines being exhibited in the stalls are available in the shops back home.
They should have exhibited organic medicine or sold good seeds. The government should start giving subsidies on seeds and farm equipment, he added.
Dr Madhusudhan Goud, joint director, animal husbandry, Mahbubnagar district said embryo transfer technology is being deployed to get pure breeds with sex sorted seman to produce 90 percent female calves. Awareness is being created about this among farmers, he added.
