The State Government has taken all measures to make available the seeds and fertilizers for the farmers for the Kharif season in the State, and will offer input subsidy to the farmers, according to Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy.
During a review meeting with officials on Kharif preparedness, the minister asked the bankers to extend fresh loans to the farmers as the government will waive off the crop loans soon. He also gave a call to farmers to avoid getting hurried or confused for the seeds and fertilizers which are made available at all levels from villages to towns and districts. The farmers can get adequate quantities of seeds and fertilizers and should avoid sowing cotton, which needs more investment and will bring losses, he said. Instead the farmers can go in for cultivation of soya bean, maize, red gram, green gram and black gram which do not require much quantity of water, the agriculture minister asserted.
A plan is on cards to offer insurance facility as a noted insurance company is ready to offer its services, he said adding that the farmers can get government support for poly-house farming. Government will offer input subsidy to the farmers of drought affected villages on getting central funds, he said. Unmindful of the crop loan waiver from the government the bankers should offer fresh loans to the farmers, the minister said. Stating that crop loan waiver is the government responsibility, he said that banks should not collect interest for the loans up to Rs. One lakh from the farmers in the state.(NSS)