AP CM Naidu calls for greater food processing to boost farm incomes, exports

Musunuru (Andhra Pradesh), Aug 24 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday called for greater processing and value addition of agricultural and horticultural produce to create wealth, boost farmers’ incomes and help local products enter global markets.

Naidu said farmers and youth should focus on food processing and value addition with the objective of creating an entrepreneur in every family.

The Chief Minister, along with Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan and Governor S Abdul Nazeer, released Chennai-based Gourmet Popcornica’s non-GMO hybrid maize seeds at Musunuru in Eluru district.

Addressing a public meeting on the occasion, Naidu said the company was producing indigenous, non-GMO hybrid seeds in association with farmers and noted that popcorn maize cultivated in the Nuzivid region was being supplied to different parts of the country and exported to other nations.

He said the non-GMO hybrid maize was being cultivated across about 40,000 acres by 17,500 farmers and expressed satisfaction over the establishment of the country’s largest popcorn processing plant at Musunuru near Nuzivid.

Naidu said a significant quantity of popcorn consumed in India had so far been imported, including from Brazil, and stressed the need to retain the economic value of such products within the country.

He said the state would take steps to establish counters at railway stations to promote Andhra Popcorn and Araku Coffee, while indigenous products such as Kondaveeti wooden toys should also be promoted in global markets.

The Chief Minister said the NDA governments at the Centre and in the state viewed agriculture as an economic force and farmers as entrepreneurs.

“Value addition should be done to crops produced by farmers and the products should be exported,” he said, calling for processing and branding of turmeric, chilli, maize, aquaculture products and other agricultural commodities for international markets.

Naidu said crop patterns should also evolve in line with changing food habits and market demand.

Commercial crops such as palm oil, cocoa and aquaculture had expanded around Nuzivid, he said.

He said an action plan had been initiated to develop Rayalaseema as a horticulture hub through public and private investments of Rs 1 lakh crore.

Referring to water resources, Naidu said despite the impact of El Nino, Godavari water was diverted to the Krishna Delta to protect crops.

He said completion of the Chintalapudi project would further change the prospects of the region.

The Chief Minister said the Veligonda project would be launched by the end of the month and water would be provided to Markapuram, Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts.

He said the possibility of water scarcity due to El Nino necessitated encouraging farmers to take up alternative crops such as pulses and appealed to farmers to make use of available opportunities.

Naidu said the NDA government’s vision was to interlink rivers across the country for optimal utilisation of water. Interlinking the Godavari-Krishna, Tungabhadra and Penna-Cauvery rivers could help address water-related issues in four states, he said.

He further said linking the Ganga, Mahanadi and Godavari rivers could enable productive utilisation of thousands of TMCs of water.

“If we achieve water security, the development of the country will be unstoppable,” Naidu said.

State Ministers Nara Lokesh, K Atchannaidu and Kolusu Parthasarathy were present.

TNT KM