Minister Bharath Assesses Onion Procurement Efforts in Kurnool

Quick Summary

• Minister for Industries and Commerce, T.G. Bharath, announced that the State government will support onion farmers by initiating procurement through Markfed at ₹1,200 per quintal.
• Excess rainfall has caused poor quality and reduced yields of onions, leading to challenges in securing remunerative prices for farmers.
• T.G. bharath visited Kurnool’s market yard on September 1 and interacted with farmers from errakota village (Yemmiganur), Alwal village (Gonegandla mandal), and other areas to discuss their concerns.
• Farmers were advised to separate damaged onions before selling them at procurement centers managed by Markfed. Payment will be deposited within a week after submitting relevant documents like Aadhaar cards, bank information, and e-pass receipts.
• District Collector P. Ranjith Basha, joint Collector B. Navya, and marketing officials inspected procurement activities later in the day at Kurnool market yard.
• District Horticulture Officer P. Ramanjaneyulu informed that Markfed would continue procuring onions harvested in September while advising patience during crop growth.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The State government’s intervention through coordinated measures with Markfed is timely given the adverse effects of excess rainfall on onion production quality and volume in Andhra Pradesh’s agricultural districts such as Kurnool. Purchasing onions at guaranteed rates aims to reduce financial stress among farmers while ensuring crop disposal amid uncertain market conditions.

By interacting directly with affected farmer communities during his visit, Minister T.G Bharath demonstrated responsiveness; however, the success of markfed’s intervention hinges on efficient implementation-particularly ensuring smooth payments via technology-supported systems (i.e., Aadhaar-linked transfers) as promised within one week.This initiative also highlights broader issues regarding enduring agricultural practices amidst unpredictable weather patterns-a factor that should inform future policymaking for robust support frameworks benefiting vulnerable farming regions like Errakota or Gonegandla mandals.

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