Farming should be made into profitable profession, says Chandrababu Naidu

Farming should be made into a profitable profession and technology must be made available to farmers of Andhra Pradesh to ease their problems and boost the productivity, said, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in the state assembly on Tuesday.

"We will bring good marketing policy. Our state should be number one in agriculture. Also our yield should be the maximum," he said while addressing the assembly.

Speaking on the Agri Tech summit, Naidu announced the conclave would be organised annually.

"Dairy field can generate employment to the poor. If used properly then one can get at least Rs. 10,000 per month. To help such people, the state govt decided to provide different kinds of fodder at Rs. 1, Rs. 2 and Rs. 4 per kg, at their doorstep. Recently we held an Agri Tech summit in Visakhapatnam; we want to make it an annual event".

However, assuring about government's special plans to make Kurnool district as the seed hub, Naidu added, "We will provide full support to farmers of Srikakulam district who incurred heavy losses due to cyclone. We have brought farmers' one stop service center. We are linking agricultural markets to e-NAM. Cold chain technology needed for sustainable agriculture. Farmers should take care that crop be yielded before October".

"The state government is planning to use drones for soil testing. We have already obtained technology that can help to combat humidity of the soil. Also, as many as 192 food processing companies are being set up in the state."

Meanwhile, State Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said "Andhra Pradesh stands ideal to other states in agriculture. Teams from Karnataka and Maharashtra are coming to our state to study our methods. Government is taking all steps for aiding farmers".

"We gave input subsidy of Rs. 1680 cr to 13.21 lakh farmers. Every eligible farmer will get debt waiver," he said.