Andhra Pradesh   

A.P. Minister promises assistance to farmers

Staff Reporter

KADAPA: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy on Sunday assured to secure Central grants and assist farmers who incurred crop losses due to natural calamities in the State.

Crops in five lakh acres were damaged in the recent floods and the State was striving to promote alternative crops, he told a review meeting with officials here. The Minister said he was touring Chittoor, Kadapa and Anantapur districts to take stock of the drought conditions and take remedial measures. Of 2.36 lakh hectares of normal groundnut cultivation area, farmers raised crops in only 64,000 hectares, which worked out to 27 per cent of normal area, he said.

Contingency plan was being prepared to disburse crop loans of Rs. 450 crores this year, as against Rs. 350 crores disbursed last year, he said. Mr. Raghuveera Reddy also directed distribution of seeds for alternative crops such as Bengal gram and castor on 50 per cent subsidy. He advised agricultural officials to tour villages and advice farmers. He assured 50 per cent subsidy on horticultural crops to be raised in five lakh hectares under National Horticulture Mission.

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