Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao and others looking at a farm machine at an agri-show in Hyderabad on Friday.
HYDERABAD
Rapid mechanisation of farming and use of emerging technologies are necessary to improve crop yield and income of farmers, Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao said here on Friday (February 7).
Speaking after inaugurating an agri-show, he instructed officials from the department to organise such exhibitions in all districts to spread better awareness among farmers on adopting technology. He said the government was committed to introducing and expanding mechanisation in farming.
As part of the policy decision to encourage farm mechanisation, the government was extending subsidies to procure the machinery. He said the government was making all efforts to improve the use of drones and robotics in farming and was conducting training programmes on the use the new technologies.
He noted that the government had paid ₹40,000 crore directly to farmers since December 2023 in the form of the bonus of ₹500 a quintal of the fine varieties of paddy; crop loan waiver up to ₹2 lakh a family; investment support under Rythu Bharosa; and procurement of various crops at minimum support price among others.
The Minister wanted the officials to extend on-field and off-field services to farmers engaged in cultivation of regular and horticultural crops and sericulture. He also wanted them to implement the bamboo mission to benefit as many tribal farmers as possible.
Secretary (Agriculture) M. Raghunandan Rao, Director of Agriculture B. Gopi and others accompanied the Minister at the agri-show.
Published – February 07, 2025 08:11 pm IST
