KCR wants farmers to cultivate variety of crops

Hyderabad : Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has instructed the officials concerned to guide farmers to cultivate crops in tune with the food habits of the people and those agriculture produce, which have demand in the market.

The CM instructed the officials to prepare a report and submit it to the government by May 5 after studying the crops other than paddy, which would be beneficial to the farmers.

He also wanted the officials to encourage farmers to go in for the fine rice variety paddy and the godowns to be constructed in the State to have a cold storage unit compulsorily.

KCR held a high-level review meeting on the preparation of a new Agriculture Policy for the State for the second consecutive day on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister added that farmers should not cultivate one crop but go in for a variety of crops. Groundnut, red gram and oil palm have great demand in the market.

There is also a scarcity of fruits and vegetables in the State. He instructed the officials to study on what percentage these can be cultivated.

Whether fish farming can also be taken up extensively in the State, as there is increase in water availability should also be included in the study, he asked the officials to complete the study by May 5.

The CM observed that paddy is being cultivated in a big way in the State. Farmers are going in for the coarse variety, as the cultivation period is less.

But majority of people eating only fine variety rice. This variety has in great demand in other States and countries too and the farmers should cultivate more fine rice variety.

Since it was decided to construct additional godowns with a capacity of 40 lakh tonnes, KCR instructed the officials to identify the lands. He wanted cold storage facility should be incorporated in the proposed godowns.