TRS MP Kavitha Meets Modi Seeking Turmeric Board At Centre:- Nizamabad MP and TRS leader K Kavitha, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to set up a separate turmeric board at the national level. She was accompanied by all MLAs from district.

Kavitha said the Prime Minister listened to her patiently and responded positively on the issue. A separate board would soon be set up giving force to the growth of turmeric production and processing for value addition, hoped Kavitha.

Later addressing media persons, she said that in support of the cause of turmeric farmers, the letters from Chief Ministers of States including Maharashtra, Kerala and Assam have been handed over to the Prime Minster. They all had endorsed the need for a separate turmeric board at the national level.

Kavitha said in adopting advanced techniques in farming, the  turmeric farmers in the country were yet to go a long way. In around 13 States of India, lakhs of farmers were growing turmeric. The government by announcing the minimum support price (MSP) for the crop, should think in the lines of extending due support to them.

Turmeric being a long-duration crop calling for involvement of farmer’s entire family for over ten months period, involved huge investments, but the returns are not profitable.

The import of turmeric allowed by the government had an adverse impact on the local growers. Seeking a focused approach to the turmeric farmers from the Centre, she recalled that the issue was represented to the Prime Minister last year also.

Though the centre gave its commitment to set up a spices park in the State, it backed out at a later stage.

As a result the State government has decided to setup the park in Nizamabad by sanctioning Rs 30 crore. Some 42 acres of land was also allotted for the spices part in the district. The spices development board regional office set up in Warangal, she said, would help the local chilli and spices farmers to a considerable extent.

SUPRAJA