Agri Dept asked to prepare plan for raising growth rate

Hyderabad, July 10 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today asked the Agriculture Department to prepare an action plan for raising the growth rate of agriculture to be presented, before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his visit to the state on July 31.

Chairing a primary meeting on the issues to be discussed with the prime minister here, Dr Reddy said the state government would make a comprehensive presentation on how to raise the growth rate of agriculture, including animal husbandry, fisheries, poultry and horticulture, before Dr Singh.

The prime minister wanted to raise the agricultural growth to above four per cent and start the instiative from Andhra Pradesh, a release here said.

Dr Reddy said, though, the growth of animal husbandry, fisheries and poultry was encouraging in the state, much more needs to be done. The procurement and productivity of the milch animals should be increased, fodder cultivation should be given special attention and there should be a special focus on poultry and meat and on horticulture production.

He also stressed the need for expansion and revamping of State Agricultural Extension System, seed requirement and quality seed supply in time to the farmers.

The state government had already formulated broad strategies for boosting agricultural production and productivity through intensification, diversification, non-farm linkages and shifting of small and marginal farmers. The meeting also discussed issues like encouraging bio-diesel plants like pongamia and simarupa and relative productivity of cereals, pulses and oil seeds in different countries.

UNI