Vijayawada: Banana Research Centre to be set up in State

Vijayawada: Minister for Agriculture K Kanna Babu on Friday said that horticulture was developing swiftly across the country and the State of Andhra Pradesh is one among them.

Releasing the diary of the Horticulture Officers Association here, the Minister said that the State government was committed to improve horticulture across the State.

Addressing the gathering, Kanna Babu said that the State government was encouraging horticulture farmers to export their produce. "On January 30, the first consignment bananas would be exported from Tadipatri railway station," he pointed out.

The Minister assured the officers that the direct recruitment of assistant directors of horticulture would be stopped.

He said that a Banana Research Centre would be established to encourage farmers to get more yield of bananas. Action was being taken to recruit about 4,000 horticulture staff and as many as 2,217 horticulture posts were being filled and notification was issued to fill the remaining 1,783 posts.

Horticulture Commissioner Chiranjeevi Chowdhary said that the officials of the Department were supporting the farmers to get profits on the horticulture cultivation and are adapting new policies. He said that the diary would be useful as a handbook to the farmers.

Association general secretary R Jeevan, vice-president BV Ramana, Devanand, B Narendra, G Lakpathi, K Harinath Reddy, M Anusha, treasurer Ashok Reddy, Ch Chandrasekhar, executive committee members Nilima, Sony, Joshna, Amareswari and others were present.