Paddy worth Rs 459.74 cr purchased so far in Eluru district

PNS|Eluru

Eluru district in-charge Collector P Arun Babu has said that 2.25 lakh Matric Tonnes of paddy, worth Rs 459.74 crore has been purchased from 48,047 farmers so far during the current season in the district.

He has further said that till now 12,126 farmers have been paid Rs. 123 crores. The remaining payments would be made on time to the farmers, he said, adding that the transport facility, gunny bags, and lorries are being supplied to the farmers every day through a special monitoring cell. The bags gunny would be made available on a rotation basis, he added.

District Agriculture Advisory Council meeting was held here on Friday under the chairmanship of Agriculture Advisory Council President Vejju Venkateswara Rao. Arun Babu directed the officials of the Horticultural Department to take the necessary steps to distribute the palm oil plants required by the farmers quickly.

On this occasion, the in-charge Collector said that there is a demand for the cultivation of palm oil plantations in the district and it takes three to four years for the crops to be harvested.

Deputy Director of Horticulture Panduranga said that steps have been taken to collect plants from other agencies and distribute them in January. In-charge collector Arun Babu responded that there should be no delay in this matter and if there is any problem in the supply of plants, they want to bring it to their attention.

The officials of the Fisheries Department were directed to examine the requests received in the Gram Sabha held to determine aqua zone, and non-aqua zone in the aqua sector area and take necessary measures.

Actions should be taken to create more awareness among farmers regarding aqua-zone, and non-aqua zone determination. V Venkateswara Rao, chairman of the Agricultural Advisory Council presided over the meeting and said that trucks should be made available for paddy procurement. Rice millers are also contributing to the new procurement system brought by the government, he stated.

Farmers association leader K Srinivas said that the problems related to paddy procurement had been reduced under the new system. He said that the whole paddy produce should be purchased from the farmers.

Committee member V Haribabu said that if a 90 percent subsidy for drip irrigation is given to every farmer, electricity would be saved considerably. He urged the Collector to take steps to change the electricity lines that passed through the palm oil plantations.

District Agriculture Advisory Council members YRKPR Babji, P. Ravindra Reddy, Chitturi Venkateswara Rao, Rice Millers Representative K. Suribabu, Joint Directors of Agriculture Department, Animal Husbandry Department Y. Ramakrishna, G. Nehru Babu, Irrigation SE K. Srinivasa Rao, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department Panduranga Rao were present in this meeting. LDM S. Venkateswara Rao, APMIP Project Director Ravikumar, and Transco SE Salmon Raju participated.