Hyderabad: While assuring the farmers that the state government will procure paddy, maize and sorghum produced by the farmers, Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has exhorted the farmers in the state to diversify their crops and cultivate oil palms, which according to him, could yield higher profits.

Tummala addressed the farmers at the ‘Farmers’ Week’ being organised by the state government across the state as part of the ‘Praja Palana- Pragathi Pranalika’ 99 days action plan on Friday, May 8, at a Mega Farmers’ Fair.

Speaking on the occasion, he assured that the state government would provide subsidies for oil palm cultivation and procure the produce at a fixed price determined by the state government.

He noted that by cultivating oil palm, farmers have the opportunity to earn significantly higher incomes; furthermore, he encouraged them to explore the cultivation of pulses, vegetables, and floricultural crops as mixed crops in the oil palm plantation, as additional avenues for generating substantial revenue.

During the week-long awareness programmes held across the state starting May 4, every day training was provided on a particular aspect of agriculture and its allied activists.

On Friday, May 8, “Prioritizing the Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, and Irrigation Sectors” was the topic of training. Mandal-level action plans were outlined covering various aspects such as livestock care during the summer, cultivation of green fodder, maintenance of tanks, boosting fish production, canal repairs, and gate maintenance.

Saturday, May 9 will be the last day of the week-long training programmes, that will be held under the aegis of the Irrigation Department, featuring the removal of weeds and water hyacinths from tanks, alongside awareness sessions for farmers regarding the balanced water usage.

On May 4, the first day of the Farmers’ Week, Tummala launched the “TG Organics” mobile app which was developed by the Telangana State Seed and Organic Certification Authority to facilitate the buying and selling of produce grown by organic farmers.

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Across the state, 14,565 soil samples were collected, and 20,734 soil health analysis reports were distributed to the farmers. Farmers were also provided scientific awareness on topics such as the usage of nano-fertilizers, natural farming, and the cultivation of fine-variety of paddy.

A total of 132,423 farmers had participated directly in the training programme of “Boosting the Horticulture Sector through Modern Technology.”

On May 5, a Farmers Fair was organised at Hanamkonda, where the farmers received training on the cultivation of alternative crops—specifically oil palm, oilseeds, and pulses. Special awareness sessions were conducted regarding the utilization of drip irrigation and water-saving technologies.

On May 6, training program on the topic “Financial Security for Farmers – Focus on Marketing Facilities,” which covered crop loans, Kisan Credit Cards, and the services being provided by cooperative societies.

A total of 12,779 farmers across the state participated in these programs. Officials from the Marketing Department provided farmers with detailed information regarding warehouse storage facilities, the Minimum Support Price (MSP), and various marketing opportunities.

On May 7, demonstrations were given showcasing modern agricultural machinery and drone technology under the theme “Mechanization – Promoting Awareness on Solar Energy Usage.”

The event which was attended by 45,901 farmers, featured the display of 1,344 different agricultural machines. Applications for farm machinery were received from 370 farmers.

Additionally, awareness was raised regarding the installation of solar power plants and available subsidies under the PM-KUSUM scheme.

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