PM Modi praises agricultural practices of 102-year-old cooperative in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh: A 102-year-old cooperative in Andhra Pradesh was appreciated by prime minister Narendra Modi for adopting new practices in farming.

On Monday, thousands of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra beneficiaries discussed with PM Modi, via video conferencing, the benefits of the agricultural procedures followed by the group. Union Ministers, MPs, MLAs and local-level representatives were also present.

Entrepreneurs hail timely agricultural loans

One of the beneficiaries present was Saeed Khwaja Muihuddinn, a resident of Nandyala in Andhra Pradesh, a member of a 102-year-old cooperative. During the meeting, he informed the prime minister that with a loan of Rs 3 crores from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), the group constructed five godowns. His group comprises 5,600 farmers including women farmers and small businessmen.

He informed how farmers who store their grains get electronic negotiable warehouse receipts enabling them to get low-interest loans from the banks. A multipurpose facilitation centre connects the farmers with e-mandis and eNam ensuring the best prices for farmers for their produce. This eliminates the middleman completely, he said.

PM lauded the spirit of the local farmers for running a group for more than 100 years. The prime minister was informed that the local farmers learned of the Agri Infrastructure Fund through cooperative banks and the registrar, and storage has enabled small farmers to hold their produce for the best possible price.

The entrepreneur said that the initiatives in the agricultural sector in the last 10 years have brought transformation in his work, including running a Kisan Samriddhi Kendra. He is providing many facilities instituted by the government such as Kisan Credit Cards and value additions through FPOs.

Farmers advised on fertilisers

Discussing the trend of natural farming, the prime minister asked the farmers to control the use of fertilisers as many people are adding nano urea to the urea. PM Modi was informed that continuous awareness is being created among the farmers and soil testing too is going on to rationalise the use of fertilisers and the soil health card is provided to the farmers.

“I request the farmers of the country not to use both urea and nano urea. Use Nano wherever available,” Modi said.

“When the government works with the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ schemes reach to the last person. Even after that somebody is left out ‘Modi ki Guarantee ki Gadi’ will cover that,” he added.