Horticulture farmers want infra facilities as those in Chittoor

Anantapur-SathyaSai districts: The undivided Anantapur district, which emerged as a 'Fruit Bowl' of AP, has no proper infrastructure facilities like cold storage facilities, ware houses and processing plants on the lines of Chittoor where there are number of plants for mango and guava processing.

A host of facilities and amenities are required for the marketing more than 25 varieties of fruits cultivated in the twin districts.

The district needs common facility centres where all fruit farmers can connect with processing facilities and export agencies. Former chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu popularised the concept of 'Horticulture Hub' but did precious little for the cause. The present government also is always talking about infrastructure facilities but failed to do anything practically. Warehouses are in great demand in the district. Due to inadequate facilities, farmers are indulging in distress sale due to absence of warehouses and cold storages.

The extent of acreage of horticulture plantations include Mango 55,827 hectares, sweet orange 53,331, Banana 16,402, pomogranate 7,519, Papayya 4,646, sapota 4,537, watermelon 4,514, muskmelon 2,065, beera 1,047, grape 1,002, lemons 990, guava 896, amla 81 hectares and other fruits 919 hectares. Total 1,86,695 hectares. Horticulture assistant director of Penukonda Chandra Sekhar told The Hans India that the citizens of the undivided districts feast on a variety of fruits not available in other districts and 99 percent of fruits available are grown here. Bananas, Pomegranates, Custard Apples, Grapes, Guava, Figs(anjuram), Mangoes, Musk Melon, Watermelon, Honey Melon, Papayya, Sweet Limes, Lose Jackets, Goose Berries, Straw berries and Black Berries etc. are among the fruits grown here. The Pomegranates raised here are highly esteemed in countries abroad and have great export value. Bananas are grown in Tadipatri, Yellanuru, Putluru, Battalapalle and in other places and their market is New Delhi. Farmers market their produce in Delhi as they have a tie-up with Delhi traders. Pomegranates are raised in Kanekal, Bommanahal, Kalyandurgam, Yellanur, Putluru, Rayadurgam, Tadipatri and Kuderu. Custard Apples are grown in Rayadurgam, Madakasira, Kambadur and Kalyandurgam. Guava plantations are grown in Tadipatri, Pamidi, Puttalur, Bukkapatnam and Dharmavaram. Fig (anjuram) which is an Israel fruit is cultivated in Kanekal, Bommanahal, Kalyandurgam and Rayanadurgam and Garladinne mandals.

Mango plantations are spread across Kadiri, Mudigubba, Garladinne, Tadipatri, Yadiki and Vajrakarur mandals. Watermelons, Musk Melons and Honey Melons are raised in Raptadu, Garladinne, Kalyandurgam and Pamidi mandals. Papayyas and Sweet Lime are grown in most of the mandals including Yellanur, Potluru, Tadipatri, Uravakonda, Dharmavaram and Kuduru while grapes are cultivated in Uravakonda, Kuderu, Garladinne and several other mandals. Most fruits are exported to Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and even to countries abroad the USA, Middle East and to Western Countries. The department of Horticulture is extending subsidies up to 40 percent on plants raised apart from incentives like maintenance of plants for three years.

Farmers Rajesh, Ravanamma and Nagireddy of Kalyandurgam and Garladinne mandals who are raising sweet lemons and Musk Melons says that as of now there are not many initiatives on the part of government except promoting horticulture crops. No real steps are being taken to create common facility centres and a convergence of stakeholders like, farmers, entrepreneurs, processing technicians and grading centres.