The government will consider setting up a scientific turmeric lab at Nizamabad to ensure better price for farmers. A decision will be taken after obtaining a report from Tamil Nadu, where a similar lab is already functioning, said Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao.
Replying to a question by Bigala Ganesh (TRS) in the Telangana Assembly on Monday, Mr. Harish Rao said the Agricultural Market Committee of Nizamabad was the biggest in the State after Warangal. It had 16 godowns with 21,000 metric tonne capacity. Of them, five were exclusively earmarked for storing paddy brought by farmers. The market will require expansion in future.
After the TRS government came to power, the Committee was extending loans up to Rs. 2 lakh on pledging of paddy under the Rythu Bandu Pathakam. Earlier, they were asked to pledge land. So far, 150 farmers have availed the loan. The government had also introduced e-bidding here to check formation of syndicate by farmers, Mr. Rao said.
He also promised to get the nala running through the market yard covered with a concrete slab.
