Naidu told a big group of farmers in Markapur on Friday, "I will ensure that the wage employment scheme is linked to farming in order to address the serious problem of labour shortage faced by farmers. As the son of a sugarcane farmer, I understand the struggles of my fellow farmers."
"I will launch several policy initiatives to help farmers grow the right crop on the right land, bring appropriate technological interventions to reduce costs, and facilitate online marketing of farm produce to get the best price for the produce," Naidu said, to applause from farmers in the drought-prone Prakasam district.
Noting that farmers in the state were now using pesticides indiscriminately, he stated that drones will be used to combat the bug infestation. Naidu, who supports organic farming, recalled that it was he who introduced Subash Palekhar's Zero Based Natural Farming (ZBNF) to Andhra Pradesh.
''A special mobile app would be established to connect growers, who are currently struggling to acquire even the minimal support price for agricultural produce, with buyers globally after eliminating intermediaries, so that they get a remunerative price," he informed the agriculturists.
"The YSRCP's one chance has proven costly, as each farmer in the State is now saddled with an average debt of Rs 2.50 lakh, despite Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's neglect of agriculture. The 'one chance' offered to the YSRCP has proven costly, as each farmer in the State is now saddled with an average debt of Rs 2.50 lakh apiece, notwithstanding Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's neglect of agriculture," Naidu stated.
He promised to finish the multi-billion-dollar Veligonda project on a war footing. He remembered that when the TDP left office in 2019, 95% of the project work was done. "Does the current Chief Minister need five years to finish the remaining 5% of work?" he inquired.
Farmers should brace themselves for huge protests because the YSRCP government is focused on metering farm pump-sets in a claimed attempt to weaken the free power programme, Naidu said, recalling that he had introduced debt waivers for farmers overcoming bifurcation blues.
He said it was unfortunate that the YSRCP government had discontinued the initiatives as well as the Israeli technology to grow crops with each drop of water through sprinklers and drips, recalling that farm implements, including tractors, as well as micro-nutrients, were provided at subsidized rates after soil testing during the erstwhile TDP regime. He vowed that tractors, harvesters, and other farm implements would be available for rent to small and marginal farmers if the TDP came to power.
