Horticulture research must reach farmers, says Tummala

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

State Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has called for horticultural research to be closely aligned with farmers’ needs and for modern technology to be used extensively to take scientific findings from laboratories and universities to the fields. The Minister laid the foundation stone for a Horticultural research complex at the Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural College campus, describing it as a historic milestone for the State’s horticulture sector.

He said considerable research was being undertaken by the universities, research centres and laboratories, but its benefits had not reached farmers to the desired extent. With smartphones, social media and YouTube now widely accessible, he urged scientists, universities and the Horticulture Department to disseminate research findings through videos, short films and digital platforms.

The Minister highlighted the growing importance of horticulture to Telangana’s agricultural economy, noting that horticultural crops occupy only about six percent of the state's agricultural land but contribute nearly 26 percent, or around Rs.30,346 crore, to the gross agricultural value.

Expressing concern over the State’s nearly 70 percent deficit in vegetable production, which has resulted in dependence on supplies from other States, he called for stronger research, technology adoption and extension services. He also directed the officials to establish demonstration plots at every district and mandal headquarters to promote the cultivation of high-demand horticultural crops and vegetables suited to local needs. The Minister stressed that closer coordination among researchers, universities, the Horticulture Department and farmers would be essential to improve productivity and raise farm incomes.