Rayalaseema horticulture project targets ₹1 lakh-crore investment
A proposed project to turn Rayalaseema into an international horticulture centre will be launched at Madanapalle on October 2, Sri Sathya Sai District Collector A. Shyam Prasad said. The plan combines government and private investment, expanded cultivation, micro-irrigation and technology-led farming across 12 clusters.
Rayalaseema will be developed as an international hub for horticulture crops under a proposed ₹1 lakh-crore project, Sri Sathya Sai District Collector A. Shyam Prasad said on Saturday. The project, titled ‘Global Horticulture Hub - Rayalaseema Rising’, will be launched at Madanapalle on October 2.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is expected to formally launch the initiative, the Collector said at a press conference in Puttaparthi. The government would invest ₹40,000 crore over the next three to four years, while private investors were expected to contribute ₹60,000 crore.
Mr. Shyam Prasad said Rayalaseema’s climatic conditions were suitable for horticulture cultivation. During the first phase, cultivation would be expanded over 72,789 hectares across 12 clusters.
A further 78,082 hectares will be brought under micro-irrigation this year, according to the Collector. He said the target was to support full yields while using 30% water through improved irrigation practices. The project will promote drip irrigation, polyhouses, sprinklers, drones and boom sprayers.
Inter-cropping and controlled-environment cultivation will also be encouraged, while post-harvest management and marketing will form part of the programme. The administration will hold awareness programmes on plantation drives and conduct the Horticulture Technology Challenge quiz from September 28 to 30. Farm ponds supported by subsidies of up to ₹1 lakh and the use of weed mats will also be promoted.
Mr. Shyam Prasad said the October 2 launch would be live-streamed at Rythu Seva Kendras and mandal headquarters. The source material did not provide further details on the participating private investors, the project’s implementation schedule beyond the first phase, or the specific horticulture crops to be prioritised.
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