Govt sets target to increase horticulture cultivation

• Horticulture cultivation will be increased to 1 crore acres from 41 lakh: Somireddy
• Says Rs 1,380 crore spent on sprinkler and drip irrigation systems

Nellore: Addressing the Palmolein farmers at R&B guest house here on Saturday, Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said that the State government has set a target to increase the cultivation area of horticulture crops from 41 lakh to 1 crore acres in the State. 

 The Minister stated that farmers have been cultivating oil palm in around 4 lakh acres and it is 70 per cent cultivation area in the country. ‘Cultivation of oil palm had decreased by 21,000 acres as the refining factory has been shifted to West Godavari district. 

We have taken up measures to resolve the issue. We would deploy field staff and also scientists for the benefit of farmers. We are planning to arrange transport facility to the farmers,” he assured farmers.  

The Minister claimed the government had allocated Rs 10 crore for modernisation of Palmolein factory in West Godavari district. He also explained that farmers of horticulture sector have been getting good profits when compared to agriculture.

 “State government had spent Rs 1,380 crore for sprinkler and drip irrigation systems,” he added. Further, Somireddy laid foundation for the works of modernisation of Degapudi-Bandepalli canal at Rajolupadu in Manubolu mandal on Saturday evening. 

Farmers organised a bike rally from Manubolu to Rajolupadu expressing their happiness over construction of the canal. Farmers of the mandal felicitated the Minister Somireddy for sanctioning the canal and laying foundation. 

‘Government had sanctioned Rs 41.7 crore for modernisation of the canal. Farmers in the area would get Somasila water from Kanupuru canal and Kandaleru reservoir once Degapudi-Bandepalli canal is completed,” said Somireddy. 

MLC B Ravichandra, Sarvepalli TDP Coordinator Somireddy Rajagopal Reddy, Gudur legislator P Sunil Kumar, Venkatagiri MLA K Ramakrishna and others were present.