Telangana Agriculture Minister appeals to ryots to increase prodn of red gram, cotton, oil seeds

HYDERABAD:  With the bumper paddy production and lack of space in godowns in the State, Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy on Saturday appealed to farmers to increase the cultivation of red gram, cotton and oil seeds.

At a video conference with district Agriculture officials, the Minister said the increased targets were cultivation of red gram in 20 lakh acres and cotton in 75 lakh acres in the ensuing Kharif. He said cultivable area in the State had been increasing due to pro-farmer polices. He directed officials to keep ready 170 lakh quality cotton seed packets to encourage the cultivation of cotton. Over 80,000 quintals of red gram seed too will be made available to farmers. 

In all, 22 lakh quintals of certified seeds of various crops to raise in 90 lakh acres in Kharif will be made available. The seeds will be available in the market by May 15. Task force teams will be constituted to check the spread of fake cotton seeds, he added.