AP emerges leader in digital agriculture, says Atchannaidu

Despite El Niño conditions, Andhra Pradesh achieved nearly 99 per cent of its target for pulses cultivation, the Minister said

Metro India News | AMARAVATI : Andhra Pradesh is implementing a series of technology-driven reforms aimed at reducing cultivation costs, improving farm incomes and strengthening farmer welfare, Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu said on Friday. Addressing the South States Agriculture Ministers’ Conference in Hyderabad, Atchannaidu said the State was making rapid progress in digital agriculture, transparent fertiliser distribution, crop insurance, pulses cultivation and agricultural marketing under the leadership of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

He said Andhra Pradesh had created Farmer IDs for 52.08 lakh of around 60 lakh PM-KISAN beneficiaries, achieving 86.8 per cent progress under Agristack. The digital crop survey for Kharif 2026 had captured nearly 97 lakh acres belonging to around 68 lakh farmers, with the data being used for estimating crop area and production and being integrated with fertilizer distribution, MSP procurement and crop insurance. The Minister said APAIMS 2.0 had brought greater transparency to fertiliser distribution. Based on farmer details, landholding, cultivated area and crop, urea and DAP were being distributed according to scientific recommendations.

Minister Atchannaidu said that El Niño-related reduction in cultivated area accounted for a nine per cent decline in fertiliser use, while APAIMS 2.0 helped prevent unauthorised use and achieve an additional 22 per cent saving.He said an online fertilizer application being piloted in Krishna and Kakinada districts would be expanded across the State during Rabi 2026-27.Despite El Niño conditions, Andhra Pradesh achieved nearly 99 per cent of its target for pulses cultivation, the Minister said.

As per the Minister, thirty-two varieties of seeds were being promoted under pre-monsoon dry sowing, while drip irrigation and less water-intensive alternative crops were being encouraged in water-scarce areas. He also said 115 Rythu Bazaars, along with mobile and digital outlets, were being strengthened through coordination between the Agriculture, Horticulture, Civil Supplies and Marketing departments to provide remunerative prices to farmers while ensuring essential commodities remained affordable to consumers. The Minister sought continued Central support for Agristack, particularly in resolving land-record integration issues and expediting validation of geo-referenced village maps.