Hike of diesel, fertiliser prices made farming a burden: Harish

Sangareddy: Finance Minister T Harish Rao has asked the agriculture and other department officials to encourage the farmers to take up cotton and soybean cultivation in more acres during the coming Vanakalam season since there was a great demand for both the crops in the market.

Addressing the agriculture officials and other allied departments officials during a review meeting on paddy procurement in Sangareddy Collectorate on Monday, the Minister suggested them to make more cotton, and soybean seeds besides making fertilisers available before the onset of rainy season to ensure there would no shortage for seeds and fertilisers. Saying that Centre, which came to power by assuring to increase the profits in agriculture, has enhanced the investment on cultivation by increasing the prices of diesel and fertilisers, Rao said the Telangana government is providing investment support through Rythu Bandhu. Since the Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has kept his promise of providing Irrigation water to one crore acres, Rao said that Telangana has become largest cultivator of paddy in India during the Yasangi. However, he has accused the Union government of maintaining double standards in paddy procurement policy. While it was procuring 100 per cent paddy and wheat harvest from Punjab farmer, the Minister said that the Union government has refused to buy Yasangi paddy from Telangana despite repeated appeals from State government. Inspite of all the challenges, he said that the Chief Minister has decided to procure paddy by spending Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 3,000 crore. He further said that they have already spent Rs 4,500 crore on paddy procurement in the past since the Centre did not pay the costs of gunny bags, tarpaulins godown rents and interest.

Talking about the Yasangi paddy procurement, the Minister said that an Agriculture Extension Officer will oversee the paddy procurement in each of procurement centre in Sangareddy District. Since the farmers transplanted the paddy a bit late this Yasangi, he said that the harvest season may commence a bit late and may continue until the rainy season commences. To protect the paddy from rains, he has asked them to make available more tarpaulins. Rao has called upon the farmers to bring the paddy to procurement centre after properly drying up. MP Medak Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, Collector Sangareddy M Hanumantha Rao, Andole MLA Chanti Kranthi Kiran, Zilla Parishad Chairperson P Manjusri, Additional Collector J Veera Reddy, Additional Collector Rajaharshi Sha and others were present.

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