Horticulture hub in Vinukonda soon

Guntur: The first 'Horticulture Hub’ is coming up in the five mandals of Vinukonda Assembly constituency of Guntur district to get more income to the farmers other than from agriculture.

Highlights:

• Farmers to get Rs. 1-lakh to Rs. 3-per acre income
• The horticulture hub will come up in 3000 acres in five mandals of Vinukonda
• 4000 acres will be developed next year
• Farmers would be taken to Anantapur where this has been tried out successfully

The Chief Minister took this decision to get more with less risk to the farmers of Palnadu region. When the farmers shifted to horticulture crops, they need less water for raising them.

As a result, irrigation water problem will get solved in Palnadu region. It may be mentioned that the farmers, in Nagarjunasagar ayacut area of Guntur district are not getting water for kharif for the last two years and there is no water for third year during this season.

Taking this problem into consideration, the State government has taken steps to develop horticulture hub which requires less water and government will give more subsidies for raising gardens. Besides, the government will give 90% subsidy on drip irrigation and for farmers belonging to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, the government will give cent percent subsidy.

Highly placed sources in the Horticulture Department saidc “The farmers raising horticulture crops are getting Rs. 1- lakh to Rs.3-lakh per acre for year with less risk and with less water. It was proved in Rayalaseema region. The horticulture hub in Vinukonda will come up on 3000 acres in five mandals of the Vinukonda constituency.

It will develop another 4000 acres in next year. The Horticulture Department officials will encourage the farmers to raise vegetable gardens under the drip irrigation system and raise horticulture and orchids. At present officials are explaining the farmers how they will get more income with horticulture crops with less investment and what are the subsidies they will get and motivating the farmers to raise the horticulture crops.

The government is conducting a survey to know water levels in 12,000 borewells in five mandals of Vinukonda Assembly constituency. After coming to know about the position of the groundwater level, they will take further steps to start the Horticulture Hub.

Afterwards, the Horticulture Department will take a team of farmers of Vinukonda to Anantapur where the farmers are raising Pomegranate, watermelon, papaya, guva orchids and how they are earning income. The farmers in Vinukonda Assembly constituency will interact with farmers in Anantapur. After that they will raise Horticulture crops in the Horticulture Hub from this season.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Friday, Joint Director of Horticulture K.Jayachandra Reddy said “If the farmers get more income, more farmers will come forward to start raise horticulture crops in Palnadu region.”