Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to initiate measures to transform Andhra Pradesh into the country’s largest natural farming hub. Currently, 1.8 million farmers have signed up to practice organic farming on 2 million acres in the state, he said.
While reviewing agriculture and allied sectors on Tuesday (February 3, 2026), Mr. Naidu emphasized the importance of providing certification and traceability options to ensure the quality of natural agricultural products.
Recalling that Rayalaseema was facing severe water shortage earlier, he said this problem has been solved this year through effective water management, with all reservoirs filled and no shortage of water for irrigation. Officials informed the chief minister that trade agreements with the US and EU have created more opportunities to increase exports of prawns, dried chillies, mangoes, rice and processed food from the state.
The Chief Minister directed officials to develop a Cocoa City of more than 500 acres in Eluru district, involving cultivation, processing and marketing as per international standards. He highlighted the scope for catch crops in mango, cocoa, cashew and coconut plantations and asked officials to encourage farmers in this direction.
He also ordered that companies willing to start large-scale saffron cultivation in Lambasingi be allowed under the PPP model with the participation of local tribal communities.
The Chief Minister announced that registration of aquaculture activities will be mandatory. To strengthen the poultry sector, he directed that contracts for the supply of eggs to government schools and Anganwadi centers be awarded directly to farmers.
Just as the Flower Festival was organized in Kuppam, the Chief Minister suggested organizing crop festivals in different regions to promote awareness about different crops and promote tourism.
He noted that the use of fruit wrappers improved the quality and price of mangoes and suggested adopting the same method for guava and pomegranate orchards. He directed the officials to set up processing units cluster wise within the food clusters and to engage with the food industry MoU signatory companies to ensure timely setting up of the units.
The Chief Minister ordered that Rythu Bazaars be established wherever there are markets and that the existing Rythu Bazaars be modernized. He gave approval for the construction of a flower market in Vijayawada.
Published – 03 Feb 2026 23:02 IST
