Govt launches programme to enhance horticulture input

Hyderabad, Jan 18 (UNI) Planning to bring an additional 1.2 lakh hectare under micro irrigation investing Rs 588.15 crore in the current year, the Andhra Pradesh Government said it has launched an ambitious programme to enhance horticulture production from 128,42 lakh tonne to 200 lakh tonne by 2011-12, aiming a 30 per cent increase.

Before leaving for New Delhi today, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy reviewed the progress of the initiatives underway in the sector as part of State Horticulture Mission.

Congratulating the officials for the record achievement in drip irrigation, he said the state had taken a phenomenal leap doubling the area under drip irrigation to 76,800 hactre during 2005-06 and topping the list in micro irrigation initiatives in the country.

It has so far covered 2,33,683 hactare. ''An additional 1.20 lakh hactre will be brought under micro-irrigation during the current year at a project cost of Rs 588.15 crore'', an official release here said.

Expressing satisfaction at the current levels of exports of horticulture products which had yielded Rs 805 crore earning including Rs 19.40 crore from organically developed grapes, Dr Reddy said the current horticulture production is of the order of 128.42 lakh Mt besides 1199 million coconuts and 83.621 lakh numbers of cut flowers.

Presently, 15.80 lakh hactre is under horticulture and the objective was to enhance it to 20.50 lakh hactare by bringing 4.70 lakh hactare additionally under the sector accounting for a 30 per cent increase by 2012.

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