AP announces procurement policy

Hyderabad, Sep 28 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy today said the government has decided to procure paddy and maize on a large scale this year.

Addressing the press here, he said the government would procure 20 lakh tonne of paddy during kharif and ten lakh tonnes in rabi season. It would also procure eight lakh tonnes of maize this year.

Of the 30 lakh tonnes of paddy, the Civil Supplies Corporation would procure 12 lakh tonnes, Food Corporation of India (FCI) eight lakh tonnes, Civil Supplies Department six lakh tonne and the FCI four lakh tonnes.

The AP MARKFED would procure the entire eight lakh tonnes of maize in both khariff and rabi season from 14 districts in the state.

The government would also procure one lakh tonne of jowar, 20,000 tonne each of ragi and bajra. MARKFED would open the required number of purchase centres with the help of women's self help groups of Indira Kranthi Pathakam during the kharif marketing season this year.

He also refuted the allegations of the Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) that the government was neglecting agriculture and irrigation sectors.

Mr Reddy said the government gave priority to agriculture and irrigation by adopting pro-farmers' policies and recalled 'Jalayagnam' under which the administration would provide water for irrigating large swathes of land.

Recognising the farmers' welfare programmes implemented by the state government, the World Agriculture Forum had invited Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to the World Agricultural Ministers Conference to be held in May 2007 at the USA.

During its nine-year rule, the TDP neglected the farm sector and adopted anti-farmer policies, he alleged.

With a view to help the farmers, the UPA Government had halved interest rate from 14 to seven per cent and doubled the agricultural loans to farmers, he said.

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