The Chief Minister K Rosaih asked the finance department to release Rs. 9.23 crores to meet the committed expenditure incurred towards supply of hybrid vegetable seed during 2008-09 under State plan schemes. The Finance Department was also asked to examine the feasibility of releasing the State government share towards Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project, Input subsidy requirement for Horticulture damages due to heavy rains/ hailstorms in March 2009 for Vizianagaram district, Market Intervention scheme and State Horticulture Mission proposals.

It was decided, in principle, to declare Horticulture Department as implementing agency for National Rural Employment Guarantee Programmes for the year 2010-11 by the Rural Development Department. This was informed to the Chief Minister at a review meeting he held on Horticulture and Sericulture with ministers and officials at Secretariat.

A meeting was convened by Agriculture Production Commissioner, Spl. Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary, Rural Development with Director of Horticulture, Commissioner, Rural Development and District officers of the Department for taking NREGS (Horticulture) in convergence with State Horticulture Mission, RKVY and APMIP. It was also tentatively proposed to cover an area of 1 lakh hactares in all districts in LDP blocks and detailed plan of action is being worked out.

The Chief Minister was told that under horticulture, 108.43 lakh hactares area is sown with 9 agro-climatic zones. Andhra Pradesh today ranks number one in the production of spices, mango, citrus, papaya and tomato and number two in fruits and number three in flowers.

The Chief Minister also reviewed few issues pertaining to the sericulture. He will write a letter to the Government of India to increase import duty on silk so that the interests of sericulture farmers could be protected.

Minister for Agriculture and Horticulture N Raghuveera Reddy, Commissioner, Horticulture, G Jayalakshmi, Secretary, Finance, T Satyanarayana, Commissioner, Sericulture, S.K.Sinha and other officials attended the meeting.