Andhra Pradesh Minister seeks private investment in agriculture sector

VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh government is according top priority to agriculture and wants private investors to pitch-in to make it a profitable sector, state Agriculture Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao said today.

"Andhra Pradesh is a suitable place for private investments in agriculture and allied sectors as the state has sufficient land, water and other resources for development," Rao said, inaugurating a one-day conference on 'Agriculture investment-opportunities in the state'.

Assuring that the government will extend full support to investors in the agriculture sector, he said, there are also opportunities in horticulture sector for private investment.

The state government had signed an agreement with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics ( ICRISAT) for its suggestions, to educate the farmers on pest and cost control and to get high agricultural yield with less investment, the minister said.

The state is number 1 in fish production as it has a 970-km coast line, he said, adding, fisheries could also be one of the prime sectors for investment.

Rao asked the companies involved in agriculture sector to adopt 5,000 to 25,000 acre of land for developing it by using latest technologies.

Minister for Panchayat Raj Ayyanna Patrudu urged the agriculture scientists to ensure that their researches reach the farmers and educate the latter about using latest technologies and good varieties of seeds developed by them.

State HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Labour and Welfare Minister K Atchanna Naidu were among others who attended the conference, organised by Small Farmers' Agribusiness Consortium, a registered government society.