AP to set up 1,000 Custom Hiring Centres

In a major step to promote farm mechanisation and improve farming community’s access to the latest machinery and implements, the State government would be introducing more than 1,000 Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), said Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture) and Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) Vice-Chancellor B. Rajasekhar.

Interacting with the media at the ‘Agricultural Technology Exhibition’, organised as part of a two-day national seminar on ‘Trends in Farm Mechanisation and Engineering Interventions for Sustainable Agriculture’ at Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) – Tirupati, on Thursday, Mr. Rajasekhar emphasised on the need for adopting the best management practices on farm mechanisation, being implemented by other States.

“We have achieved only 20% of farm mechanisation, except for groundnut crop which is 45%, whereas States like Punjab are leading with 50-60%. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has set a target of 60-70% farm mechanisation in Andhra Pradesh and hence the need for evaluating and adopting the best management practices,” he said.

Mr. Rajasekhar also stressed on the need for a behavioural and attitudinal change among those involved such as farmers, academicians, scientists etc., supplemented by concerted efforts to achieve the goal. He said the State government would be setting up 1,000 CHCs, with all the necessary implements and accessories (based on the crops cultivated in a region).

“The immediate need of the hour is customising the best management practices based on our requirements and build farmer participation in new ecosystem i.e. the shift from traditional farming to technology/mechanised farming techniques,” he added.