Metro India News | hyderabad

Telangana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Commission Chairman Kodanda Reddy has instructed the officials to focus on horticultural crops.He held a meeting with officials on horticultural crops at the Farmers' Commission office here on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Kodanda Reddy said that officials should focus on the cultivation of vegetable crops in Telangana and steps should be taken to ensure that the use of pesticides is reduced.

"Vegetables are being cultivated by using pesticides to produce more in a shorter period of time, which is causing farmers and consumers to fall ill. Instead, farmers should be encouraged to cultivate organic farming," Kodanda Reddy said.

Officials have brought to the attention of the Commission the excessive use of pesticides in the cultivation of brinjal and lady's fingers. In response, they have been instructed to encourage cluster cultivation, ensuring that government subsidies reach more farmers cultivating in the cluster system.

Commission Chairman Kodanda Reddy directed that meetings and awareness programmes be held with farmers cultivating horticultural crops across the State.The Commission also decided to soon visit vegetable gardens in the districts surrounding Hyderabad and hold a face-to-face program with farmers.

Similarly, Kodanda Reddy said that the Mandal Agriculture Officers should focus on curbing the indiscriminate use of pesticides and State and district level officials should monitor the situation.