Still large productivity gaps in agriculture output: Government

HYDERABAD: Stating that there are still large productivity gaps in farm output, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said technological progress in agriculture is crucial for overall economic development.

"There are still large productivity gaps in the potential and the realised farm output," Singh said on the occasion of foundation stone laying of the Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) here.

However with development and infusion of new technologies, the country's farm production will go up to meet the rising domestic food demand, he said in a statement.

The Minister also stressed that there was need to set up a premier agri-education and research institutions in Andhra Pradesh as the residuary state is deprived of several academic and research institutions after bifurcation.

"We expect that with establishment of this university at Lam, Guntur, the agricultural growth in the region will receive the much needed impetus and will usher in a new era of robust agriculture and a knowledge empowered prosperous farming community," he added.

In the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh, ANGRAU with headquarters at Hyderabad was catering the needs of the entire state. During bifurcation, a suitable provision was made to establish an agricultural university in residuary state of AP.

Since agriculture is the primary source of living for 70 per cent of the population, Singh said: "Technological progress in agriculture is, therefore, crucial for the overall economic development of the country."

The farm technologies generated by the research institutions and agri-universities have enabled the country to achieve self-reliance in food security at national level.

In recent years, India's foodgrain production has exceeded 260 million tonnes, horticultural production is about 280 million tonnes, milk is 137 million tonnes, eggs-73 billions and fish over 9.8 million tonnes, he added.

Today, the country has 73 agricultural universities and 101 ICAR research institutions serving the farming community.