Lok Sabha Question No. 2787 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-10
Subject: Crop Productivity Strategy
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2787

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  MARCH, 2026

## CROP PRODUCTIVITY STRATEGY

2787. SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government has prepared any State-specific crop productivity strategy for Andhra Pradesh, particularly for major crops such as paddy, in light of evidence that yields remain below the national average;
- (b)  whether  yield  gap  assessments  have  been  undertaken  and  shared  with  the  State Government,  including  identification  of  priority  interventions  such  as  micro-irrigation, improved seed adoption, extension services and FPO integration, district-wise; and
- (c)  the  steps  taken  to  support  diversification  towards  high-value  crops  and  value-chain development in Andhra Pradesh to improve farm incomes and reduce productivity gaps?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY)

- (a)  to  (c):  The  Government  of  India  is  implementing  National  Food  Security  &  Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) across 28 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs) including Andhra Pradesh with  the  objective  of  enhancing  the  production  of  various  crops  including  Rice,  Wheat, Coarse  Cereals,  Nutri  Cereals  and  Commercial  Crops  (Cotton,  Jute  and  Sugarcane), through area expansion and productivity improvement. States/UTs are given flexibility to identify districts with low productivity and high production potential.

In  addition,  the  Government is also  implementing  a comprehensive  range  of Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes and programmes aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and increasing farmers' income across all States, including Andhra Pradesh. These  schemes  encompass  entire  spectrum  of  agriculture,  including  credit,  insurance, income  support,  infrastructure, crops  (including horticulture), seeds,  mechanization, marketing, organic and natural farming, farmer collectives, irrigation, extension, procurement of crops from farmers at minimum support prices and digital agriculture. The list  of agriculture related schemes implemented by Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare (DA&FW) across all States, including Andhra Pradesh, is placed at Annexure-I.

In order to ensure availability of quality seeds to the farmers, the DA&FW assess the requirement and availability of seeds with the States/UTs and other agencies through Zonal Seeds  Meetings  organised  periodically  prior  to  each  cropping  season  (viz.  Rabi  and Kharif).    The  Department  advises  the  States/UTs  from  time  to  time  to  include  newly released High Yielding Varieties (HYVs), stress tolerant bio- fortified and short and medium duration  varieties  of  various  agricultural  crops  in  their  State  Seed  Plan  to  enhance agricultural productivity and production in the Country.

The Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Material (SMSP) was implemented during 2014-15 to 2023-24 to promote production and multiplication of quality seeds of agricultural crops in the country. Now SMSP has now been subsumed under National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM) during the year 2023-24. Accordingly, the interventions of erstwhile SMSP are now operational as NFSNM: Seed Components. Under the NFSNM: Seed Components, Annual Action Plan of ₹8.585 crore of Andhra Pradesh State has been approved and financial assistance of ₹2.8078 crore released so far during current year.

The Government is also implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme, namely, Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) from the year 2015-16 in the Country including Andhra Pradesh. PDMC scheme focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation namely Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation systems. Micro Irrigation helps in water saving as well as reduced fertilizer usage, labour expenses, other input costs and overall income enhancement of farmers. Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided @ 55% of the unit cost to Small & Marginal farmers and @ 45% to other farmers for installation of Micro Irrigation systems. From 2015-16 to 28.02.2026, an area of 108 lakh ha has been covered in the Country through PDMC scheme which includes 11.49 lakh ha in Andhra Pradesh.  District  wise  area  covered  under  Micro-irrigation  in  Andhra  Pradesh  through PDMC is provided in Annexure-II .

For crop diversification and higher farm incomes, the Crop Diversification Programme (CDP), a sub-scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM- RKVY) is also being  implemented  in  which  CDP  paddy  replacement  component  has  been implemented since 2013-14 in the original Green Revolution States of Haryana and Punjab, and western Uttar Pradesh to divert area from paddy cultivation to alternative crops such as pulses,  oilseeds,  coarse  cereals,  nutria-cereals,  cotton  etc.    Under  this  programme, assistance  is  provided  for  alternative  crop  demonstrations,  farm  mechanization  &  value addition, site-specific interventions and  contingency  activities  related  to  awareness generation & capacity building.

The Crop Diversification  Programme was  extended  w.e.f 2015-16 to  major tobaccogrowing  States,  including  Andhra  Pradesh,  with  the  objective  of  encouraging  tobacco growers to shift to alternative crops of cropping system. Under this extension, States may undertake suitable activities and interventions in accordance with approved cost norms.

Further,  the  PM  Dhan-Dhaanya  Krishi  Yojana  (DDKY)  has  been  launched  on  11th October,  2025  for  a  period  of  six  years,  beginning  with  2025-26  to  cover  100  districts identified on the basis of three key indicators of low productivity, low cropping intensity, and less agricultural credit disbursement. The districts selected under PM DDKY in Andhra Pradesh state are Sri Sathya Sai, Anantapur, Alluri Sitharama Raju, and Annamayya.

The Union Cabinet has also approved a centrally sponsored scheme namely 'Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses' on 1st October, 2025 aimed at boosting domestic production and  achieving  self-sufficiency  in  pulses.  The  Mission  is  being  implemented  across  the country, including Andhra Pradesh.

Further,  the  Union  Cabinet  approved  the  National  Mission  on  Edible  Oils  -  Oilseeds (NMEOOS) on 3rd October, 2024 to boost domestic oilseed production and to strive toward self-sufficiency in edible oils.

Under the National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), Andhra Pradesh has covered 94,890 Ha. till date during the Mission period (2021-22 to 2025-26).

Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH),  a  Centrally  Sponsored

Scheme is being implemented w.e.f. 2014-15, for holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering  fruits,  vegetables,  root  and  tuber  crops,  mushrooms,  spices,  flowers,  aromatic plants, coconut, cashew and cocoa etc. MIDH offers not only a wide range of options to the farmers for crop diversification towards high-value horticulture for orchards and plantation crops,  vineyards,  vegetable  &  flower  gardens,  Bee  Keeping,  Mushroom  cultivation,  off season  vegetables  and  value  chain  management,  but  also  provides  ample  scope  for sustaining large number of Agro industries. All States and UTs, including Andhra Pradesh, are covered under MIDH.

Further,  strengthening  of  extension  services,  Agricultural  Technology  Management Agency  (ATMA) Scheme is  under  implementation  across  the  country,  including  Andhra Pradesh, since 2005 aimed at creating awareness among large number of farmers about new technologies.

Additionally,  a  total  of  716  FPOs  registered  under  the  Central  Sector  Scheme  for formation and promotion of 10,000 FPOs in the State of Andhra Pradesh. An equity grant amounting to Rs. 20.84 crore has been disbursed to 318 FPOs. Additionally, as of date, fertilizer licenses have been issued to 384 FPOs, seed licenses to 198 FPOs and pesticide licenses to 198 FPOs. Further, 355 FPOs have been onboarded onto the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform as on date.

The  interventions  under  the  above  schemes  have  contributed  to  improvement  in agricultural productivity and enhancement of farmers' income. The crop-wise productivity levels in Andhra Pradesh is as under:

(Kg./Hectare)

| Crop       |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |
|------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Rice       |      3434 |      3485 |      3583 |
| Maize      |      4046 |      4007 |      4524 |
| Bajra      |      2027 |      2096 |      2320 |
| Ragi       |      1185 |      1261 |      1456 |
| Tur        |       323 |       413 |       475 |
| Groundnut  |       661 |       660 |       937 |
| Castorseed |       309 |       385 |       510 |
| Cotton     |       372 |       297 |       476 |

Source: DA&FW

The list of the schemes implemented by the Government to support States in agriculture

1. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
2. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
3. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
4. Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
5. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
6. Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs)
7. National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
8. Namo Drone Didi
9. Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
10. Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises' (AgriSURE)
11. National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
12. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
13. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
14. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
15. Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)
16. Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
17. Agroforestry
18. Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)
19. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
20. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
21. National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)
22. Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
23. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
24. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm
25. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds
26. Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region
27. Digital Agriculture Mission
28. National Bamboo Mission
29. Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana
30. Mission for Atmanirbharta in Pulses

Area  covered  under  Micro  irrigation  in  Andhra  Pradesh  through  PDMC  (2015-16  to 28.02.2026)

| Sr. No.   | District                 |   Area covered under Micro Irrigation (ha) |
|-----------|--------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| 1         | ANANTAPUR                |                                     214863 |
| 2         | CHITTOOR                 |                                     147674 |
| 3         | Y.S.R. Kadapa            |                                     167519 |
| 4         | EAST GODAVARI            |                                      34734 |
| 5         | GUNTUR                   |                                      28141 |
| 6         | KRISHNA                  |                                      27387 |
| 7         | KURNOOL                  |                                     102431 |
| 8         | SPSR NELLORE             |                                      44706 |
| 9         | PRAKASAM                 |                                     106693 |
| 10        | SRIKAKULAM               |                                      19633 |
| 11        | VISAKHAPATANAM           |                                      16063 |
| 12        | VIZIANAGARAM             |                                      17242 |
| 13        | WEST GODAVARI            |                                      61987 |
| 14        | PARVATHIPURAM MANYAM     |                                       3384 |
| 15        | ANAKAPALLI               |                                       4011 |
| 16        | ALLURI SITHARAMA RAJU    |                                       1678 |
| 17        | KAKINADA                 |                                       4288 |
| 18        | DR.B.R.AMBEDKARKONASEEMA |                                        280 |
| 19        | ELURU                    |                                      21367 |
| 20        | NTR                      |                                       7581 |
| 21        | BAPATLA                  |                                       4333 |
| 22        | PALNADU                  |                                       8248 |
| 23        | TIRUPATI                 |                                       7246 |
| 24        | ANNAMAYYA                |                                      40111 |
| 25        | SRI SATHYA SAI           |                                      41004 |
| 26        | NANDYAL                  |                                      17204 |
|           | Total                    |                                    1149808 |

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