Andhra AEZs clock 29% growth in exports

The four agriculture export zones (AEZs) in Andhra Pradesh recorded Rs 160 crore in exports during 2003-04, an increase of 29 per cent over the previous year's Rs 124 crore.

The four AEZs in the state are Chittoor (mangoes), Krishna district (mangoes), Ranga Reddy district (grapes and mangoes) and Ranga Reddy and six other districts (gherkins). This year, the horticulture exports are expected to perform much better.

Anil Punetha, commissioner of horticulture, told media persons here on Friday that the department was allocated a budget of Rs 317 crore for 2004-05.

It includes an outlay of Rs 250 crore under the Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Programme (APMIP). The department would implement the 90 per cent subsidy programme for the bio-fuel plantation being planned in an extent of two lakh hectares, he said.

The commissioner said that the department of horticulture was conducting its prestigious annual nursery mela from August 15 to 18 at the Public Gardens.

Stating that last year's nursery mela at Necklace Road attracted around one lakh visitors, he hoped that the figure would much higher this year as the mela was being held in the Public Gardens, which was more accessible to the public. The number of stalls at last year's mela was 80 and this year the number could cross 90, he said.

On display at the four-day nursery mela would be irrigation systems, seeds, bio-fertilisers, tissue culture plants, ornamental and bonsai plants. Growers' associations were being encouraged to take part in the display-cum-sale mela, Punetha said.

To a query, he said that there were over 1,050 nurseries in Andhra Pradesh including 135 in the twin cities. He put the annual turnover of nurseries in the state at Rs 375 crore.

Kadiyam, a popular nursery village in East Godavari district, alone has an annual turnover of Rs 150 crore.