Agri production in AP touches 180 lakh tonnes

Hyderabad, Jan 13 (UNI) Agricultural production in Andhra Pradesh has reached 180 lakh tonnes this year as there was no drought-hit mandal in the state for the first time in the last eleven years.

According to an official release here today, the state achieved 10.20 per cent development in agriculture as against 3.70 per cent achieved nationwide.

The government provided water to 11.50 lakh acres in every district through the irrigation projects taken up in the state during the last four years and would provide water to 25 lakh acres by next 'sankranthi'.

The government had provided agriculture loans worth Rs 52,000 crore to 85 lakh farmers in the state and free power supply to 25 lakh. It had waived electricity arrears worth Rs 1,250 crore.

The government had been spending Rs 3,000 crore every year to purchase additional electricity to provide uninterrupted power supply to the agriculture sector. Agricultural loans worth Rs 20,000 crore would be provided in the current fiscal and loans worth Rs 26,000 in the next fiscal, the release said.

The crop insurance scheme would be extended to in all districts, from the ten districts, which were already covered under the scheme. The government had already released Rs 376 crore under the scheme to farmers in Ananthapur district, the release added.

UNI BR SJ NC RS1836