Telangana Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy on Tuesday stressed the need for the Center to encourage Telangana for the progress it has made on the agricultural front.
“We need the appreciation of the Indian government,” the minister said at a conference attended by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. Her statement is gaining momentum as it came amid growing discord between Telangana and the Center over the issue of paddy supply.
Mr Reddy said this highlighting how the state government was creating awareness of the need for crop diversification among farmers. “We educate them to opt for oilseeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables,” he told the Southern States Business Summit of the National Edible Oil Mission – Palm Tree. oil.
Stating that the Telangana was able to harvest a bountiful harvest and succeed in agriculture thanks to the leadership and policies of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, he assured that the state, which has overtaken Punjab in paddy production, would also pass the target. for the oil palm set by the Center. Against the target of 4.36 lakh hectares, Telangana intends to cover 12 lakh hectares of oil palms by 2026 with an expenditure of 30,968 crore in mission mode, he said. .
He said that in addition to seeking approval of the action plan, to cover 12 lakh hectares, established Telangana, the state wanted the Center to give 7,170 crore as its share, provide a higher price to farmers for oil palm FFBs (Fresh Fruit Bunches), and strengthen assistance for drip irrigation as well as for inputs and intercropping to farmers.
The second summit of the mission – the first was held in Guwahati for the northeastern states in October – the program witnessed the bonhomie between Mr. Reddy, the Union Minister as well as the Minister of State of the Union for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Kailash Choudhary.
Mr. Tomar assured that resources will not be lacking for the implementation of the National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm. The Center wants to make India autonomous in the field of palm oil. “Currently, around 3 hectares of lakh are cultivated for palm oil, while studies have shown that around 28 hectares of lakh are suitable for oil palm cultivation in the country. It is our mission to put 28 lakh hectares of land under cultivation to make India Aatmanirbhar into edible oil, ”he said.
Describing Telangana as an emerging leader in oil palm production and appreciating the efforts of the state government, he insisted on the adoption and promotion of natural agriculture to reduce production costs without hampering production.
Telangana chief secretary Somesh Kumar said the state had notified 26 districts for oil palm cultivation and 11 oil processors were operating in the state.
