Andhra Pradesh mulls Karnataka model Crops Control Act, says minister

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Prattipati Pulla Rao said here today that the AP state government is considering the enactment of a Crops Control Act along the lines passed by Karnataka.

He told reporters that such an act would be used to restrict agricultural production in order to prevent distress sales by farmers as well as ensure minimum support prices for all agricultural products.

The Crops Control Act has been in force in Karnataka since the 1980s and it restricts crop areas of all agricultural crops based on the supply and demand of various food products and commercial crops, he said.

He said that even today, tobacco, sugar as well as oil palm production in Karnataka is controlled and farmers are linked with buyers even before production in order to ensure a minimum support price.

The AP state government has chalked out a contingency plan for drought hit areas to supply seeds at 50 per cent, he said.

He said that water for Krishna delta will be supplied through the Pattiseema lift irrigation system from August 20 to protect the interests of farmers.

"I hope August rains will save the Krishna delta region," he said.