Hyderabad, Oct.14 (Hydnow): Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao today desired that there should be qualitative changes in the cultivation and growing of Vegetables, fruits, flowers and other horticulture crops and for this, the Department of Horticulture should be trained and strengthened. The CM said since the Telangana State is blessed with a wide variety of soil, good rainfall and professional skilled farmers, these advantages should be utilised to optimal level and there is a need to bring in revolutionary changes in the cultivation of Vegetables, fruits, flowers and other Horticulture crops. The CM assured that all the necessary action that are needed to strengthen the Horticulture department would be taken by the government. He said a Comprehensive Horticulture Cultivation Policy should be prepared and the results of which should be realised within a year. The State, which is occupying number one position in several other sectors, similarly it should occupy number one position in the Horticulture sector too. In the Telangana State, where a strong foundation has been laid for development, there should be a comprehensive perspective on Horticulture crops too, the CM desired.
The CM held a review meeting on Wednesday at Pragathi Bhavan on Horticulture in the State. Ministers S Niranjan Reddy, Sabita Indrareddy, State Rythu Bandhu Samithi President Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, CM secretary Smita Sabharwal, Principal Secretary (Agriculture) B Janardhan Reddy, Horticulture MD Venktramreddy, JD Sarojana, DD Ms Sunanda, senior officials Sattar, Babu, Bhagya Laxmi, Madhusudhan, Lahiri, Subhashini and others participated.
“Telangana state is endowed with a wide variety of soil. There is an average rainfall of 900-1500 mm per year. There are lakhs of farmers’ families who have the professional skills. All these are ideal for the horticulture cultivation. Despite all these advantages, the State is importing vegetables, fruits, flowers, spices, and Oil seeds from other states. This situation should change. The Telangana state should become self-sufficient in the horticulture crops. The state should develop in such a way that it should be able to export to other regions in the country horticulture produce after meeting the demand within the State. It should also export to other countries as well. To achieve this, the horticulture department should get itself ready. Create awareness among the farmers. Reach greater heights in the Horticulture crops and make the state number one in the country,” the CM said.
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“Horticulture department should equip itself to make the state number one in cultivating the horticulture crops and produces such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, honey, spices and others. Increase the study of horticulture, extension and research. In states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Haryana and in countries like the Netherlands horticulture crops are being cultivated very successfully. One should visit these places to learn about the cultivation techniques, marketing methods and their rich experiences. We should follow the best practices. Send the officials to Indian Institute of Horticulture Research in Bangalore for training. Invite specialists and experts from there to our State and organise special training workshops. A lot of research should be encouraged in Horticulture University and the department. Regular studies should be done on the new methods in horticulture cultivation, marketing. And this should be done on a regular basis uninterruptedly. Encourage mechanization in the horticulture cultivation,” the CM said.
“Prepare Comprehensive Horticulture Cultivation policy to usher in qualitative changes in the horticulture crops cultivation. Visit other regions and prepare a Comprehensive Policy within three months. Within one year, there should be revolutionary changes in the cultivation of horticulture crops,” the CM instructed.
“There is a need to expand the horticulture department. The state government is ready to appoint one Horticulture Extension Officer in each Mandal. There should be special divisions in the horticulture department headed by senior officials to bring in quality in the crops, study the changes in the cultivation patterns, to keep a tab on marketing. Prepare proposals immediately on how many more employees are needed for the department for its expansion, how to expand the department. The government is ready to appoint the required employees and officials. Provisions will be made that Horticulture officials also participated in all the Rythu Vedikas to interact with the farmers,” the CM clarified.
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“Besides cultivating in a big way horticulture crops in the state, focus should also be on the marketing. Find out which produce has market in the country and abroad and encourage farmers to go in for such crops. We will create a major market, like the one in Azadpur Market in Delhi, in Kongakalaan in sprawling 300 acres,” the CM announced. (Hydnow)