Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the government’s target was to have healthy soil and healthy crop. By releasing water in June, the government was able to ensure that farmers got a good yield and were protected from cyclones. Speaking during a teleconference on Neeru Pragati from his residence on Monday, Mr Naidu said farmers were able to cut down on the use of fertilisers and pesticides because of the crop being advanced. He said that in Krishna district, the utilisation of fertilisers had reduced by 20 per cent.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to begin preparations for the upcoming Kharif season. He said that Rabi crops were expected to be ready three weeks earlier than usual. Water can be saved and stored for utilisation during the Kharif. Mr Naidu ordered officials to take serious steps to curb the sale of spurious seeds. He said that the responsibility of bringing better agricultural technology and ensuring that farmers utilised it lay with the officials. He added that he wished to continue recording over 25 per cent growth in the agriculture sector.
