With monsoon promising good rains, the Andhra Pradesh Government has set a foodgrains production target of 225 lakh tonnes for 2013-14.
This is 41 lakh tonnes more than that of last year. The highest foodgrains production the State recorded so far was 204 lakh tonnes in 2008-09.
“Despite drought and floods during 2012-13, the State could produce 184 lakh tonnes last year. But this year we think we will be able produce more,” Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana has said.
All but four districts in the State received copious rains in the first three weeks of the season, kindling farmers’ hopes.
The State may need 81 lakh quintal different fertilisers to achieve the targeted foodgrains production. Last year, the State consumed about 57 lakh tonnes of fertilisers with a subsidy worth Rs 7,500 crore.
The Minister said the Government has requested Icrisat (International Crops Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics) to advise the farmers on micro-nutrient deficiencies in the fields and how to address the problem.
“The Buchetana programme we are jointly undertaking is aimed at revitalising the soil,” the Minister said, elaborating on the Agriculture Action Plan the State has just prepared for 2013-14.