State farm body raises pitch for turmeric board in Nzmbd

Hyderabad: The State Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Commission would mount pressure on the Union Government for the establishment of the Turmeric Board in Nizamabad.

The Commission would also ask Telangana MPs to pursue the regular release of funds for farmers welfare from the Centre. The Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Commission had an interaction with the horticulture officials on Wednesday. The horticulture department officials paid a courtesy call on Chairman Kodanda Reddy and member Bhavani Reddy at the office of the Commission. The officials briefed the Commission on the Horticulture Department.

The officials brought to the attention of the Commission that there was no movement on the establishment of a Turmeric Board in Nizamabad. The Commission said that it would try to talk to the Centre. The Commission ordered the horticulture authorities to take steps to prevent the decline in the turmeric crop in the State. Turmeric worked as a medicine during the corona period. The schemes should be formulated to encourage turmeric farmers, said the Commission Chairman.

The officials informed that the farmers who grow chilli and turmeric crops say that storing them until they get a remunerative price will be a financial burden. They say that the quality of turmeric and chillies would deteriorate by the time the stored crop is sold.

The Commission told them that steps should be taken to encourage farmers to shift towards horticulture crops and to strengthen them financially. Chairman Kodanda Reddy said, “We should all work together to ensure that the farmer stands on his own feet. Many farmers are cultivating horticultural crops depending on drip irrigation, and they do not have access to that scheme, and they want to see it provided to them.”

The Commission said that MPs would pressure the Centre to bring regular Central funds to farmers and Central government schemes related to farmers. Farmers who grow mangoes were losing money due to unseasonal rains. Special sheds should be allocated for horticultural crops in market yards. Farmers will be able to sell their crops there. The crop can be stored until a reasonable price is reached.

The officials explained to the Commission that the cultivation of horticultural crops had declined in the districts surrounding Hyderabad because of the real estate effect. They suggested the officials implement a cluster system. Bhavani Reddy ordered the horticulture officials to come forward with a detailed DPR regarding the horticulture department once again. The members also want a report on the extent to which integrated markets were being used across the State. “We have already told CM Revanth Reddy to give identity cards to farmers,” said the Commission Chairman. Yesterday, the Centre had decided to give Aadhaar-style cards to farmers. However, the Commission Chairman believes that the Centre would not be quick in implementing it.