Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the Agricultural Department to complete the authentication under e-cropping system and hand over both physical and digital receipts to farmers by October 15 across the state.

During the review meeting on agricultural and allied sectors held here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said, social audit also should be completed within the given deadlines. He was informed that the cultivation of paddy crops will be completed in 1.15 crore acres by end of the present Kharif season in the state while 96 lakh Metric tonnes of seeds are being readied for the coming Rabi season catering to 57.31 lakh acres.

Observing that e-cropping has led to transparency in paddy procurement, he directed the officials to supply all material including gunny bags to the farmers in the right time besides providing logistical support.

The farmers should never get the feeling that they are selling their paddy for a lesser price than MSP. In such circumstances, higher officials should intervene and ensure that farmers are paid MSP for their agricultural produce.

Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKS) should be used to create awareness among farmers on selling their produce at the right time. In the wake of abundant production of paddy in the state, officials should explore ways to export rice by working with export companies, he said and suggested that ethanol should be extracted from broken and coloured paddy.

Geo-fencing and QR code systems should also be implemented in the civil supplies department while officials should take steps to ensure that tobacco farmers also are not put to financial losses. The Chief Minister directed the department to complete soil testing in March and April months before the start of Kharif season and farmers should be educated on the type of crops to be cultivated and the quantum of fertilises to be used.

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Asking the officials to provide soil testing devices at all RKBs, the Chief Minister said, this will help farmers reduce cost of cultivation.
Minister for Civil Supplies Karumri Nageswara Rao, AP Agri Mission Vice-Chairman MVS Nagi Reddy, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Special CS (Agriculture) Poonam Malakondaiah, Principle Secretary (Agriculture) Chiranjeevi Choudary, Finance Secretary KVV Satyanarayana, Marketing Commissioner PS Pradyumna, Civil Supplies Commissioner H Arun Kumar, Agriculture Commissioner Hari Kiran , Civil Supplies Corporation MD Veerapandian, AP SSDCL Vice Chairman MD Sekhar Babu and other top officials participated in the review meeting.