Wish of horticulture farmers fulfilled, Kisan rail from Anatapur to Delhi flagged off

Amaravati: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, along with Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, virtually flagged off Kisan Rail from Anantapur to New Delhi on Wednesday fulfilling the long-awaited wish of horticulture farmers of Rayalaseema region.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tomar and Union minister of state for railways Suresh C Angadi for launching the the first from South India and the second in the nation, to transport horticulture produce from AP to Delhi.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said that nearly 312 lakh metric tonne of horticulture produce is being harvested across the state in 17.42 lakh hectares which is contributing to 15.6 per cent share of fruit production in the country.

AP is the fruit capital of India but Covid-19 pandemic had hit even the fruit market.

Even during this hard times, the state government didn’t abandon farmers but provided them many more benefits by collecting the produce and exporting to other states.The train, which has a capacity to carry 322 MT of fruit, was sanctioned following a special request by Jagan Mohan Reddy to the PM.

The CM requested the Railway officials to reduce the fares of Kisan Rail as they were slightly on the higher side and asked the authorities to consider the affordability of the farmers.

The first cargo on Kisan Rail from Anantapur includes 214 tonnes of tomatoes, 138 tonne banana, 32 tonne of sweet orange, 11 tonne papaya, 8 tonne melons and 3 tonne of mangoes to Delhi.

Minister for municipal administration Botsa Satyanarayana and other officials were present.