Director-General Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) said India was second in the world in fruit and vegetable production, with 320.11 million tonnes this year.
'With nearly all industries struggling as a result of COVID-19, there was no effect on the agricultural industry. There has been a rise in agricultural production amid the lockdown,' Mr. Mohapatra said.
On Monday, Mr. Mohapatra basically participated in the fourth convocation of Dr. YSR Horticultural University, calling on students to take up studies and become job-seekers after moving out of college.
With an output of 301.73 lakh metric tonnes, Andhra Pradesh was in the top spot in horticulture and the area under cultivation was 17.48 lakh hectares. The State has made an important contribution to the horticultural crops of the country by growing the area of cultivation, Mr. Mohapatra said.
He said that Dr. YSR Horticultural University, the country's second-of-its-kind, was serving the needs of the fast-growing horticultural sector in providing human capital, developing Atma Nirbhar Bharat technologies, an economic relief package announced by the Government of India, and extending to farmers new technologies and ideas.
He urged the young people to use their skills to support the farmers, congratulating the students who were presented with degrees. University Vice-Chancellor T. Janakiram said that by raising the income of rural people, horticulture has played a unique role in India's economy. Andhra Pradesh was the first producer in India to grow chilli, chocolate, lime oil palm, tomato and papaya, and the second to produce mango, cashew and sweet orange.
‘Dr. YSR Horticulture University is dedicated to helping state horticulture farmers by improving the village-level Rythu Bharosa Kendras set up by the state government. Many fruits, spices, condiments and vegetable varieties were developed and released by the varsity,’ he added.
Coconut Kalpa Pratibha, Swarna, Jaehangir, Godavari Banana Bontha, Abhaya Ganda, Vynateya Gango, Neelgoa, AU Mango Ramani, Tyrmeric Lavani, Betelvine Swarna Kapoori, Coriander Suruchi and some of Dr. YSRHU's research results.
The university rewarded 2019 students with horticulture degrees, including 1,604 in B.Sc and 375 in M.Sc during the first, second and third calls. Degrees were given to 635 students in the fourth convocation, Dr. Janakiram said.
Medals Awarded:
Kancherla Divya and Mondeddula Dhathri were awarded the Smt. Anne Shikhamany Memorial Gold Medal for the highest scores, Sri. Devarakonda Pullayya Sastry Gold Medal for Seeram Phanindra, Dr. T.B. Dasarathi Gold for PG students, G. Indraja, Duddukuri Srikanth and N. Amrutha Pavani. R.V. Sujatha, Associate Professor, was awarded with the Best Teacher Award and C. Venkata Ramana, Senior Scientist, won the Best Research Scientist Award.
