Telangana to become Seed Bowl soon: Pocharam

Hyderabad, Sept.1: Agricultural Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said the Telangana government would strive to make the Telangana state as seed bowl to produce international quality seed by providing needful infrastructure to the farmers. Pocharam, who was in America, held discussions with the Iowa State Agriculture University, located in Iowa state capital city Des Moines, Dean (extension) along with National Seed Center director Prof. Manjith Mishra. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that he discussed with Iowa State Agriculture University Dean on the cooperation of University experts in setting up of National Seed Center in Telangana state, Telangana State Agriculture University students exchange programme with Iowa State Agriculture University and extending training to the staff of Telangana State Seed Examination Lab in Iowa University. He also got to know about the policies on seed production of Iowa State. Hailing the Iowa University as one of oldest agriculture universities, Pocharam said that he was trying to prepare plans to produce quality seed by the Telangana farmers. He said that the aim of his tour was to strengthen the Telangana farmer economically stronger. Later, he visited the World Food Prize Center, which was similar to Nobel Prize in the agriculture sector, the Minister said that six Indians have received the prize till now. The Minister also met the Agriculture Minister (called him as Agriculture secretary there) Bill Northoy and got known with him about agriculture sector issues, schemes and the government’s cooperation with the farmers. Karimnagar MP B Vinod Kumar, Agriculture Secretary C Parthasarathi, Telangana Seed Development Corporation MD A Murali were also accompanied the Minister.