Tummala assures farmers of availability of green manure and cotton seeds

HYDERABAD: Telangana's Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswar Rao reassured farmers about the availability of green manure and cotton seeds.

Addressing the eleventh episode of the Rythu Nestham programme through various Rythu Vedikas, he emphasised that sufficient green manure seeds had been distributed, with additional quantities from other states to be provided soon. He urged farmers not to worry about seed availability or queue up for them, as ample supplies would be available in all districts.

The minister also stated that cotton seeds were sufficiently stocked as per the state's requirements and advised farmers against demanding specific varieties, highlighting that all varieties yield equally well. He appreciated the contributions of Padma Shri awardees Sri Chintala Venkat Reddy and Sri Yadlapalli Venkateswara Rao to the farming community and requested their continued support and guidance.

The Rythu Nestham program, launched on March 6 this year in collaboration with scientists from Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), aims to raise awareness among the farming community about ongoing agricultural and allied activities. The programme is conducted in 110 Rythu Vedikas, one per Assembly constituency, and has organised ten episodes, attracting 38,794 farmers, including women farmers.

The eleventh episode, held on Tuesday, focused on the "Cultivation of High-Density Cotton" and "Organic Farming." Both Padma Shri awardees elaborated on the benefits of organic farming and encouraged farmers to adopt these practices for the community's well-being.

Director of Agriculture Dr B Gopi announced the completion of Phase II, which involves installing 456 video conference units, one per mandal, by the end of the month. He thanked the Padma Shri awardees for their participation and valuable suggestions.

District collectors, district agriculture officers, departmental staff, and farmers from various Rythu Vedikas across the state participated in the event.

The Director of Research at PJTSAU, P Raghuram Reddy, and Dr. P. Prashant, a scientist from RARS Warangal, also attended and shared their insights.