Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at a review meeting on agriculture and allied sectors on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked the officials to conduct a comprehensive satellite-based survey to map crop patterns across all survey numbers in the State.
In a review meeting on agriculture on Tuesday (July 22, 2025), Mr. Naidu emphasised the need to modernise agriculture with advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, and satellite data to ensure accurate information for policy-making.
The satellite survey initiated in Bikkavolu mandal of East Godavari district provided encouraging results. The Chief Minister instructed the officials to cross-verify this satellite data with field-level inputs and guide farmers to cultivate similar crops in clusters for better yield and profitability.
He also emphasised updating agricultural records following the completion of land resurvey and purification of revenue records.
The Chief Minister insisted on monitoring crop health in real time using 42 standard parameters. Groundwater recharge structures should aim for 1,000 tmc ft storage.
He ordered desilting of canals and coordinated efforts between the agriculture and water resources departments.
Drones should be deployed widely in agriculture and other allied sectors, he said, adding that drones can simplify farming operations and have potential applications across 15 sectors.
Reviewing the integration of an AI chatbot to assist farmers with crop planning and value addition, he stressed providing timely and accessible information to farmers using AI tools.
The Chief Minister raised concerns over excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, saying that it was deteriorating soil health and causing cancer. He called for awareness campaigns and strict monitoring of input use. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems should be adopted to minimise dependency of chemincals, he said.
Mr. Naidu announced that he would soon conduct virtual meetings with water user associations to understand their issues and plan water distribution effectively.
Organic certification
He emphasised organic certification to increase product demand and income for farmers. He approved a partnership with the Tata group for organic certification and highlighted export potential to countries such as Japan and Taiwan. Produce with certifications like NPOP and IndiaGAP can be exported to over 130 countries, he said.
Mr. Naidu appreciated the products developed by ‘Coco Munj’, a company that manufactures coconut-based products. Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu and senior officials of related departments were present in the meeting.
Published – July 23, 2025 02:09 am IST
