Naidu Calls for Market Intervention to Rein in Prices
He stressed the need to predict market requirements before deciding which crops should be cultivated.
Vijayawada:Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to keep essential commodity prices within the reach of the common man and adopt advance planning of crop cultivation, production and market management to contain inflation.
Reviewing the agriculture and allied departments at his camp office on Wednesday, Mr Naidu asked officials to analyse the reasons for price rises, assess whether production was matching demand and monitor supply. He stressed the need to predict market requirements before deciding which crops should be cultivated.
Naidu asked officials to identify crops and locations requiring market intervention to prevent price spikes. He directed them to implement the minimum support prices (MSP) announced by the Centre and encourage farmers to cultivate those crops. Where necessary, the government should enter into buy-back agreements with farmers, he said.
He called for full utilisation of Oilfed, Markfed, Rythu Bazars and ration shops to regulate prices. MSP-backed procurement would ensure produce reached the government, providing greater scope to stabilise prices, he said.
“After prediction, we should move to production and accordingly assess the market,” the Chief Minister said.
He asked officials to supply nearly 60 essential commodities through Rythu Bazars and ration shops. Onion and red gram should soon be made available through these channels, while palm oil should also be supplied through ration shops.
Naidu called for exploring onion and chilli cultivation in new areas beyond traditional growing regions. Officials should assess crop patterns at each Rythu Seva Kendra and estimate onion demand and availability.
The Chief Minister directed officials to bring 8.61 lakh hectares of currently uncultivated land under rain-fed crops. Millets, ragi, foxtail millet, jowar, bajra, maize and horse gram should be promoted, besides encouraging natural farming. Farmers should be provided subsidised seeds and necessary farm machinery based on local crop requirements, he said.
Officials informed him that 3.61 lakh hectares of horticultural crops were at high risk. Mr Naidu announced ₹190 crore for life-saving irrigation to protect these crops and directed officials to take measures such as supplying water through tankers.
Naidu also ordered monthly communication to the Centre on measures being taken to tackle the impact of El Niño and congratulated officials after the Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project received the ISSCA Global Award-2026.
Ministers K. Atchannaidu, Nimmala Ramanaidu and Nadendla Manohar, along with senior officials, attended the review.