Telangana State has potential to be role model in exports of agri produce: Vinod

Hyderabad: Telangana State Planning Board Vice Chairman B Vinod Kumar on Sunday urged NITI Aayog to capitalize on emerging export opportunities for agriculture produce like turmeric, mango and chillies to fight the post Covid-19 situation in the country as Telangana has potential to be role model for other States in this area.

In a letter written to NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, Vinod Kumar said that Telangana produces one of the finest export quality turmeric, chilies and mangoes.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA) under Ministry of Commerce and Industry identified and notified six districts (erstwhile Rangareddy, Mahbubnagar, Karimnagar, Nizambad, Warangal and Khammam) and three agriculture produce (mangoes, turmeric, chillies) in the State under export oriented unit (EOU) clusters project.

Under the EOU cluster project, the Telangana government conducted a detailed study and submitted an annual action plan to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry with a project outlay of Rs 226.17 crore.

Out of the total project outlay, Rs 68.43 crore was allocated to mango cluster in erstwhile Rangareddy, Mahbubnagar and Warangal districts, Rs 90.97 crore for turmeric in erstwhile Karimnagar and Nizamabad districts, Rs 65.97 crore for chilies in erstwhile Warangal and Khammam districts.

The budget is proposed to be spent on various components like assistance to farmers for rejuvenating horticulture gardens, pest management, establishment of post harvest infrastructure etc.

Vinod Kumar said that Telangana has outperformed many states in IT exports and with improved irrigation facilities, nutrient soils, and the State has the greatest potential to emerge as a role model to other States in the country for export of agriculture produce.

Expediting the sanctioning of EOU cluster project was absolutely needed considering the readiness of Telangana farmers and support of Telangana State, said Vinod Kumar.