Latest news with #ParchurAMC
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Advance Kharif to protect crops: Andhra CM
To improve the income of paddy farmers, Naidu proposed inter-cropping fruits and vegetables on widened bunds of fields. An awareness should be created among farmers about the benefits of wider bunds. NREGS funds can be utilised to build bunds if needed. Aquaculture and horticulture on the peripheries or in between paddy fields need to be experimented, he said. The officials informed him that HD Burley tobacco procurement has begun at Parchur AMC. Alternative crop cultivation is being encouraged in place of HD Burley, they said. Naidu also enquired about the procurement of cocoa and mango. They informed him that three new agriculture-related services have been launched on WhatsApp Governance - Mana Mitra platform. They include crop insurance, agricultural mechanisation, and MARKFED services. Farmers can now access these through WhatsApp. 'We should reduce the use of fertilisers and pesticides to preserve soil fertility. Ensure there is no shortage of fertilisers anywhere. Stay updated with real-time data on fertiliser and pesticide use. Last year, 39 lakh tonnes of fertilisers were used in the State. This year, we should bring that down to 35 lakh tonnes. Pulses and millet cultivation should be increased. Banks should provide loans to farmers within 24 hours of request,' he said. The officials informed that paddy, red gram, groundnut, and cotton are the primary crops in Kharif season.
India Today
2 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Advance Kharif cycle to shield crops from cyclone: Chandrababu Naidu to officials
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday directed agriculture officials to advance the crop season to safeguard Kharif crops from cyclone damage. During a review meeting at the Undavalli camp office, he was informed that the Agriculture Department has already begun releasing irrigation water to farmlands in the Godavari and Krishna delta is currently reaching West Godavari, Eluru, Konaseema, East Godavari, Kakinada and Krishna districts. Guntur, Bapatla, and Prakasam districts will start receiving irrigation supply in the first week of Kharif crops include paddy, red gram, groundnut and cotton. While groundnut and cotton acreage has dropped, red gram cultivation has risen, and paddy levels remain steady. The Chief Minister noted that Andhra Pradesh has experienced 14 cyclones in the past 20 years - five in October, six in November, and three in December - with October storms especially affecting north coastal regions and East Godavari. To mitigate such risks, he stressed the need to cultivate three crops a instructed officials to prepare for the cultivation of summer crops across five lakh acres next year in north coastal Andhra, Godavari, and Krishna delta regions. In districts like Anantapur, where farmland lies fallow for eight months annually, Chief Minister Naidu urged using that period for additional crops to improve soil fertility and farmer income. Officials have been tasked with preparing 141 mandals for summer farming - 19 with reservoirs, 57 with tanks, and 65 relying on Naidu encouraged promoting fine varieties of paddy and advised widening bunds in paddy fields to support intercropping of fruits and vegetables. He suggested that these bunds could be constructed using NREGS funds. He also promoted aquaculture and horticulture on the periphery of or between paddy plots to boost tobacco procurement, officials said that HD Burley tobacco purchases had begun at the Parchur AMC and that farmers were satisfied. The government is also encouraging a shift to alternative crops. Procurement of cocoa and mango was also new services - crop insurance, agricultural mechanisation, and MARKFED - have been launched on the Mana Mitra WhatsApp platform, giving farmers easier access. The CM directed officials to raise both online and offline awareness about these also called for reduced use of fertilisers and pesticides to protect soil fertility. Last year, 39 lakh metric tonnes of fertilisers were used; this year, the target is 35 lakh metric tonnes. He also emphasised increasing the area under pulses and millets and directed banks to disburse farm loans within 24 hours of request during the Watch
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Reduce fertilizer use to preserve soil health, says Naidu
: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked the officials to make efforts to reduce the use of fertilizers in the State. At a review meeting on preparedness for the kharif season on Tuesday, Mr. Naidu said efforts should be made to reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides to preserve soil health. Ensure there is no fertilizer shortage anywhere. Updated data on fertilizer and pesticide usage should be maintained. ''Last year, 39 lakh metric tons of fertilizer was used in the crop season; this year, it should be reduced to 35 lakh metric tons. Cultivation of pulses and millets must increase. Banks must issue loans to farmers within 24 hours of their request this season,' he said. To boost farmers' income, Mr. Naidu suggested implementing intercropping with vegetables or fruit plants along field bunds. Additionally, integrating aquaculture and horticulture between or around paddy crops was recommended. ''Create awareness about widening the bunds and, if necessary, constructing them using NREGA funds,'' he said. Three-crop policy Emphasising that farmland should remain green throughout the year, Mr. Naidu directed officials to adopt a three-crop policy. He suggested cultivation of summer crops next year on five lakh acres across the north coastal Andhra, Godavari, and Krishna delta regions. In districts like Anantapur, farming occurs for only four months a year, leaving land fallow for the remaining eight months, leading to soil nutrient depletion. The farmland needs to be utilised these eight months for cultivating additional crops. Encourage farmers in 141 mandals where water resources are available for summer farming —19 of them with reservoirs, 57 with tanks, and 65 dependent on groundwater, he said. He also advised promoting fine varieties of paddy that are in high demand. New WhatsApp services Officials informed the Chief Minister that HD Burley tobacco procurement has begun at the Parchur AMC, and farmers have expressed satisfaction. Alternative crop cultivation is being encouraged in place of HD Burley. They informed him that three new agriculture-related services have been launched on the WhatsApp Governance – Mana Mitra platform: crop insurance, agricultural mechanisation, and MARKFED services. Farmers can now access these through WhatsApp. Responding to it, Mr. Naidu directed online and offline awareness creation among farmers regarding the best agricultural practices. He also enquired about the procurement of cocoa and mango.
