TS plans 5-yr roadmap for crop development

Focus is on integrated pest management, market linkage

The agriculture department is in the process of preparing a roadmap for crop development for the next three to five years. It will focus on integrated pest management, market linkage, buyer-seller meet, price stabilisation, availability of seeds, among others.

Chief Secretary Dr S.K. Joshi ordered officials to prepare an action plan within 15 days, while suggesting that they discuss it with farmers, agriculture scientists and exporters.

Agriculture principal secretary C. Parthasarathi suggested coordination among farmers, the Spice Development Board, horticulture department and exporters on using modern technology to enhance productivity.

“Farmers are cultivating about eight varieties of spices such as turmeric, chilli, ginger, garlic. The `30-crore Spice Park coming up in Nizamabad will be helpful for farmers. With the support from the Centre, the state government is encouraging farmers growing turmeric and chilli,” said Mr Parthasarathi during a meeting on spice development at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

Over 70,000 farmers are cultivating turmeric in 1.10 lakh hectares and 1.40 lakh farmers engaged in chilli crop mostly in Nizamabad, Warangal, Jagtial, Bhupalpalli, Khammam and Mahbubabad districts.

According to the Spice Board, turmeric cultivated in the state contains a meagre 3-4 per cent of curcumin as against up to eight per cent in the northeast, Kerala and other states. Turmeric with high content of curcumin has a lot of commercial value.

Officials discussed improving the curcumin content and creating a branding for turmeric from the state, targeting the export-oriented market to make turmeric cultivation profitable for farmers.

Horticulture commissioner Venkataram Reddy, Spice Board director G. Lingappa, Satyam Sradha from Union agriculture department and farmers participated in the meeting.

Agriculture commissioner Dr M. Jagan Mohan reviewed the urea availability with representatives from urea companies.

“Since the supply mechanism is not up to the mark, it's sending wrong signals to the farming community. We should ease the apprehension over the shortage of urea by adopting the regular supply chain management. Despite closure of one unit of NFCL, we have sufficient stocks of urea. The only problem is the supply mechanism,” said Dr Mohan.

He asked urea companies to resolve the problem of supplying farmers. “Since we have to supply urea as per the plan of the Centre, the distribution should be completed by July 28,” he said.