Foodgrains procurement centres to close by May 31

CM tells Agriculture dept. to focus on crop season from June

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has ordered closure of foodgrains procurement centres in villages on May 31 and asked Agriculture department to focus on the crop season from June 1.

At a review meeting on agriculture, Mr. Rao said the agriculture officers must educate farmers on regulated farming finalised by government cluster-wise. The seed for suggested crops should reach all villages by Friday evening.

The government had already suggested to farmers to grow crops that were in demand in the market. There will not be much change in the cropping pattern as compared to the corresponding agricultural season last year. The government merely discouraged maize cultivation and instead preferred red gram and cotton. The paddy cultivation will continue over 40 lakh acres as last year. But, the farmers were supposed to raise paddy varieties prescribed by government on the basis of demand in market.

As regards cotton, the cropped area will increase by 10 to 15 lakh acres as compared to the previous year. There was no change in cultivation of other crops.

Mr. Rao asked the officials to despatch details about district-wise clusters and crops to be grown in them to all villages. The officials should hold meetings across the State to discuss the information at district-level on Thursday. The agricultural extension officers should meet at mandal-level the next day to prepare the plan implementation. The AEOs should communicate the same to farmers thereafter.

He also wanted them to be vigilant about spurious and fake seeds.