CM orders crop calendar, fast-track procurement
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday directed the agriculture and horticulture departments to prepare a comprehensive crop calendar for kharif, rabi and subsequent rabi seasons, aimed at maximising returns to farmers and ensuring that harvesting and marketing are carried out strictly in line with planned timelines.
Chairing a review meeting at the Secretariat on paddy procurement and the marketing of agricultural and horticultural produce, the Chief Minister said scientific crop planning and timely execution were critical to stabilising farm incomes. Ministers K Atchannaidu and Nadendla Manohar participated in the review virtually.
Naidu stressed the need to educate farmers on crop selection across seasons, focusing on crops that are commercially viable and suitable to local conditions. He called for improved advisory services to enhance crop quality, proper harvesting practices and post-harvest handling. Emphasising value addition, the Chief Minister asked officials to strengthen cold chain infrastructure, promote processing, and facilitate access to both domestic and international markets. He also instructed departments to leverage logistics infrastructure, including rail cargo services, to move agricultural produce efficiently across the country. The Chief Minister ordered that paddy procurement be completed within stipulated timelines in all districts and directed officials to resolve bank guarantee issues reported from North Andhra districts without delay. Speaking directly to the State-Level Bankers’ Committee convener during the meeting, he instructed banks to provide guarantees uniformly across the state to prevent disruption to procurement. He underlined that all departments must act swiftly in line with the government’s “Speed of Delivering Governance” policy.
Warning against irregularities, Naidu said strict action would be taken against millers found exploiting farmers. He also issued a strong caution against practices that cause losses to mango growers, particularly Totapuri mango farmers.
Despite fiscal constraints, the Chief Minister said the state government had extended Rs 184 crore in subsidies to support mango farmers and was paying an additional Rs 4 per kg, an intervention he said was unmatched in other states. He urged pulp processing units to act responsibly and warned of stringent action against those deliberately creating hurdles for farmers. District collectors were directed to resolve farmer grievances within 10 days.
Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s leadership in fruit production, Naidu said the government was building a strong food-processing ecosystem and announced plans to organise a horticulture products exhibition in January. He said districts such as Prakasam and those in Rayalaseema should emerge as global hubs for fruit production.
