Andhra Pradesh government decides to set up 9000 more crop storage houses to help farmers

Andhra Pradesh: The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to build more godowns for the convenience of farmers to be used for crop procurement, livestock feed and drug sales. It has already been approved by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to build another 9,000 new godowns in the state under the auspices of Department of Marketing. In addition, platforms will be constructed to enable crop drying. The marketing department currently has 1,055 godowns at the mandal and district levels with a storage capacity of 9 lakh tonnes. However, the state government has already undertaken a program of crop collection, seeds and fertilizer distribution at the village level through Rythu Bharosa Kendras. Soon, there will be activities like custom hiring centers, livestock feed and sales.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohanhan Reddy gave the green signal for the construction of new godowns during a review of the marketing department on Thursday. The Chief Minister has directed to construct godowns and cold storages at a total cost of Rs 4,000 crore and to set up sorting and grading units in addition to these. Meanwhile, it is estimated that he construction of these godowns alone is slated at Rs 3,150 crore. Officials estimated that it would cost Rs. 350 crore to set up other units. The storage capacity of each newly constructed godowns is 500 tons that can be used to keep crops from drying out during storms and rains. Similarly, it is decided that these godowns are interlinked to Rythu Bharosa Centres where the large quantity of fertilizers will be stored and distributed in these godowns.

Chief Minister YS Jagan is making a big effort to strengthen the marketing department, said Pradyumna, special commissioner, marketing department. "We are taking steps to raise the necessary funds and call for tenders; it is estimated that it will cost Rs 35 lakh to build each godown with a storage capacity of 500 metric tonnes along with a crop drying platform, which will be constructed in phases," Pradyumna asserted. He said that are in talks to hand over the construction work to our department as well as other engineering departments soon and to set up an additional division within our department.