Andhra Pradesh to become `aquaculture hub` in the world: CM Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on 5 October said that the state is all set to become the aquaculture (farming of fish) hub of the world.

Speaking at an interactive panel session on 'Nourishing the Food System' at World Economic Forum's India Economic Summit 2017 in New Delhi, he informed that aquaculture in Andhra Pradesh is growing at the rate of 42 percent and it also has the advantage of a long coastline of 974kms.

"Andhra Pradesh has achieved 27.7% growth rate in agriculture for first quarter of 2017-18," said Naidu.

"We have achieved saturation in soil testing. Through drone based cloud technology, we are giving soil test reports in real time for farmers in the state," he added.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister also said that his government is engaging with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank, World Food Prize to draft a strategy to produce results for the common man.

Naidu further said, "We are organising a seminar in the state on technologies in agriculture along with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in November."

He stated that the Andhra Government is encouraging startups and technology companies for benefiting the farmers and it wants to implement all the technologies available in the world for forward and backward linkages in the agriculture market.

-ANI