Andhra Pradesh aims for 30% growth rate in agriculture-related sectors in next five years

Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu.
| Photo Credit: File Photo

Agriculture, Cooperation, and Marketing Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said the government has set a target of achieving a 30% growth rate in agriculture-related sectors over the next five years and has been implementing strong measures to achieve this goal.

A review meeting was held on Friday, February 7, at the State Secretariat under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, where key decisions were made to achieve significant growth in these sectors.

Mr. Atchannaidu said that the current growth rate in the primary sector is 15.86%, and the government has set a goal to increase it to 20% in the first phase and subsequently to 30% over the next five years.

The horticulture crops are currently being cultivated on 1.8 million hectares in the State, generating a Gross Value Added (GVA) income of approximately ₹1.52 lakh crore. However, agricultural crops are cultivated on 5.2 million hectares during kharif and rabi, generating only ₹57,000 crore in GVA for the State. In light of this, Mr. Naidu has directed the promotion of horticulture crops on a larger scale, he said.

A pilot project is currently being implemented to develop Anantapur district as a horticulture hub, and steps will be taken to implement the project in all districts in a phased manner. A decision has been made to use a significant portion of NREGA funds for horticulture crop cultivation, with the goal of increasing the current usage of approximately ₹40 crore to ₹200 crore, he said.

The Minister said that a decision has been made to implement drip irrigation on around 50,000 acres and to promote the cultivation of crops with high market demand and millet cultivation.

The government has also decided to provide a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all major crops. He mentioned that steps are being taken to ensure 100% soil testing and to provide micronutrients with a subsidy of 50-70%. The Minister added that Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) groups are being encouraged to grow fodder, and they are also being provided with milking machines to improve employment opportunities for women, he added.