Operation Parivartna: Vizag police promote vegetable farming to eradicate ganja cultivation

Visakhapatnam: Vizag Rural police have started distributing vegetable seeds, Silver Oak, and Eucalyptus saplings among villagers of G Madugula to wean them away from ganja cultivation.

It may be recalled that Andhra Pradesh police have decided to explore alternative crops in a bid to eradicate the ganja cultivation in Vizag agency. The horticulture department has identified some alternative crops and sent a detailed report to the government.

As a pilot project under Operation Parivartna, the seed distribution programme was launched at Rasaveedhi village under Boitili Panchayat of G Madugula Mandal in Vizag agency on Friday.

Police distributed seeds and saplings with the support of ITDA-Paderu and the Rythu Nestham foundation.

"We have decided to distribute seeds and saplings in all villages under G Madugula Manal in Vizag Agency in the coming days so that the farmers will grow alternative crops," said Satyanarayana, Inspector of G Madugula

This is profitable than growing ganja, police said. Enforcement officials said seeds of tomato, mirchi, cabbage, brinjal, and ladyfingers were distributed among 104 farmers of Rasaveedhi village which has 114 households.

Farmers were told to use drip irrigation and avoid using fertilizers and pesticides. The agriculture department, Rythunestam Foundation, and ITDA will monitor and assist farmers in growing vegetables.

Pepper is also being promoted as an alternative. It will yield Rs 5 lakh per acre. "Agriculture department is also conducting soil testing for growing strawberries and dragon fruit, a cash crop that would fetch more money than ganja. The marketing department would be told to arrange lifting the stock so that the farmers do not lose from their products," police said.

Horticulture department officials said Strawberry, Dragon fruit, Avocado, Jaji, Japatri, Tulasi, Roselle tea flower, Mucuna Pruriens (Dulagondi in local parlance) Bird's eye chili, Citrodora, Palmarosa, and Cuscus grass (Vatti Veru in local parlance), and others are the best alternative crops to ganja.

"If we can supply good quality seeds, farmers would earn Rs two to Rs three lakh per acre," officials said.

Officials said apart from these crops, coffee and internal crop black pepper should also be promoted for higher income. Earlier, 100 plants of black pepper were being sown in one acre, now 800 can be accommodated for more yield, they said.

Agriculture Department is also suggesting millets including Rajma as alternative crops.