Minister: Telangana Plans Subsidised Agricultural Drones For Farmers

Nalgonda: Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Monday said the state government is planning to supply agricultural drones to farmers at subsidised prices.

Launching an agriculture drone at Chinthagurthi in Raghunadhapalem mandal of Khammam district, the minister said the government would also roll out training programmes to familiarise farmers with drone operations. In collaboration with Agriva, a pilot project has been launched to spray pesticides on disease-affected portions of fields using satellite-assisted technology, he added.

The minister urged farmers to adopt modern cultivation practices that reduce input costs and enhance income. He advised greater use of advanced farm machinery and scientific methods to improve crop productivity and profitability, while cautioning against excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides to protect soil fertility.

Stating that adequate urea stocks are available, Rao said it had come to his notice that some farmers were using 10 to 12 quintals of urea per acre. Such practices, if continued, could turn fertile agricultural land into wasteland, he warned.

He said programmes would be undertaken to periodically update soil test records and provide farmers with reports on the fertility status of their fields. He also instructed officials to intensify awareness campaigns on reducing cultivation costs without affecting yields.

The minister further called upon agricultural machinery manufacturers to design and produce equipment suited to small and marginal farmers, who constitute a majority of cultivators in the State.

Additional district collector P. Srija also attended the programme.