The State government has resolved to supply 5 lakh tonnes of corn, an essential ingredient in the poultry feed, to the sector in the coming days.
The assured commodity would be supplied at the rate of ₹ 1,525 a quintal to the sector and the government had decided in principle to supply corn to the industry on a regular basis through Markfed. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee comprising ministers T. Srinivas Yadav, S. Niranjan Reddy and V. Srinivas Goud held here on Thursday.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Srinivas Yadav said the poultry sector was expected to suffer huge losses after the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19). But the initiatives launched by the government at the instance of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had helped in stabilising the sector. In the process, the government had constituted a Cabinet sub-committee to study different aspects relating to the industry and suggest remedial measures.
Comprehensive policy
The Cabinet sub-committee had examined the issues facing the sector in detail and had decided to prepare an action plan to ensure that the sector did not suffer. It was accordingly decided to evolve a comprehensive policy to ensure sustainable growth of the sector in the coming days and submit it to the Chief Minister for his consent.
As part of the efforts, a team of senior officials and Ministers would tour different States to study the situation and the practices followed in these States once the lockdown was lifted. This would be followed by drafting of the comprehensive policy.
The Ministers said that the overall cropping area in the State presently at 1.22 crore acres was set to cross 1.35 crore acres after the completion of the Kaleshwaram project and plans would accordingly be prepared to fulfil the aspirations of the farmers.
Efforts would be made in advance to ensure that the entire produce was marketed so that farmers benefited from it.