Vijayawada: BJP MP and National Chilli Task Force Committee chairman G.V.L. Narasimha Rao on Wednesday called upon agriculture officials to visit chilli growing areas and bring about awareness among the farmers on how to protect their crop from pests and diseases in the next 15 days in AP, Telangana state and Karnataka.
The MP held a meeting with experts and representatives from prominent Central agriculture research institutions and senior agriculture and horticulture officials from AP, TS and Karnataka states on Wednesday.
He discussed about the pests affecting chilli crops and measures to control the crop damage. He called for preparation of an action plan in a month to protect the chill crop from pests in the next year. He stressed on the importance of avoiding pest menace to other crops like mango and other vegetables and the need to take up research to mitigate damage to the crops.
“Come up with preventive measures to tackle pests so that it would not affect the food security in the country and also help the farmers not to suffer crop damage or loss,” Narasimha Rao asked Central agriculture research institute representatives.
He assured to take up the issue with Union ministers for agriculture and commerce and also to raise the issue in the ensuing Parliament sessions to tackle the pest menace for chilli and other crops in several parts in the country.
