Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Tuesday launched the green manure seed distribution programme under the “Raithu Nestham” initiative and urged farmers to adopt scientific farming practices.
During a special event at the Secretariat, the Minister interacted virtually with farmers across Telangana. He promoted methods to improve soil fertility and encouraged cultivation of crops that offer higher profits.
Green manure seed distribution under subsidy scheme
Tummala Nageswara Rao said the state government was providing a 50 percent subsidy on green manure seeds. He urged farmers to make extensive use of the seeds to improve organic matter in the soil.
He explained that incorporating green manure crops into agricultural land would improve soil fertility. Consequently, dependence on chemical fertilisers would reduce significantly.
The Minister said Telangana has nearly 1.26 lakh acres of alkaline land. He added that applying gypsum could improve soil quality and make the land suitable for cultivation.
Tummala Nageswara Rao advised farmers to adopt scientific methods to address land-related challenges. He also encouraged them to move beyond traditional crops and focus on crops with better yields and higher financial returns.
The Minister highlighted oil palm cultivation as a stable long-term income opportunity for farmers.
Green manure seed distribution linked to storage expansion
Earlier in the day, an MoU was signed between TG Agros and the TG Warehousing Corporation in the presence of the Minister.
Under the agreement, the TG Warehousing Corporation would construct modern warehouses on 23 acres of government land. The project would create a storage capacity of 85,000 metric tonnes.
Officials said the corporation would fully fund the project. The construction is expected to be completed within 15 months.