We cannot depend on food imports: Vice President CP Radhakrishnan

Musunuru: Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Monday said India, with a population of 140 crore, cannot rely on food imports and pledged top priority for agriculture. Addressing a private seed launch event at Musunuru village, the Vice President said, "We are 140 crore people, we are not Australia.

We have 70 times (the) population of Australia, so we cannot depend on imports for our food.

The agriculture interests will be taken care of, agriculture will get top priority." According to the Vice President, new innovations and modern techniques adopted in the farming sector will make agriculture prosperous in the country.

Radhakrishnan expressed joy over Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's plan to interlink all South Indian rivers from the Mahanadi to Cauvery.

Backing Naidu's initiative to interlink southern rivers, he said, "it may take (a) little time, but it is going to be a reality very soon." He promised to extend irrigation facilities to all the districts, wishing for Indian agriculture to continue to innovate for the seed to be sown to become a stronger, more self-reliant and more developed India tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Naidu said the NDA government at the Centre and the state view agriculture as an economic power and farmers as entrepreneurs. "Our objective is to add value to the crops grown by farmers and export them.

Turmeric, corn and chillies crops, including aquaculture produce should reach the world," said Naidu.

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