Agriculture and allied sectors in Andhra Pradesh have registered a 11% average growth rate for the past four and half years against 2.4% growth at all India level, despite deficit rainfall. Releasing a white paper here on agricultural growth in the past four and half years, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said his government gave top priority for agriculture growth in the past five years by spending Rs 82,000 crore. He referred to the comments of MS Swaminathan on agriculture in United Nations Organisation and stated that the State faced severe crisis in agricultural sector during 2014 and Anantapur district experienced drought conditions for the last two decades. Despite of adverse situation the State government allotted major chunk of its budget to agricultural sector and doubled the income of farmers in the past four years. The government provided water and seed security to farmers and allotted Rs 19,070 crore for agricultural sector in the 2018-19 budget. The Chief Minister said 103.35 lakh soil health cards were distributed covering 68 lakh farm holdings in the past four and half years. About 1.80 lakh MTs of micronutrients supplied to farmers with 100% subsidy and 4095 MPEOs were appointed for the benefit of farmers. Despite non-cooperation from the Centre, his government had been implementing farm loan waiver scheme and paid Rs 15,147 crore to 58.29 lakh farmers with interest. The Chief Minister said that the mega seed park coming up in 650 acres at Tangadencha agricultural farm in Kurnool district in collaboration with IOWA State University at a cost of Rs 670 crore would distribute quality seeds to the entire nation. To protect the interests of tenant farmers Rs 9411 crore of loans were disbursed among 25.05 lakh tenant farmers and the govenrment procured various agricultural products for the past four and half years at a cost of Rs 3556 crore. The Chief Minister said AP stood first in maize, jowar and rice production during 2016-17. For the first time, the government enhanced input subsidy for paddy, sugarcane, cotton and ground nut crops from Rs 10,000 to Rs15000, for maize from Rs 8333 to Rs12,500 and for pulses and sunflower crops from Rs 6,250 to Rs10,000. AP also was first in zero budget natural farming which was being implemented in 972 villages in 331 mandals covering 1.67 lakh acres, he stated. The ZBNF won global award at Paris peace forum under development and environment programme section. A target was set to extend the ZBNF to 5 lakh farmers this year and the NITI Ayog also praised the efforts of AP in organic farming through ZBNF, he said. Coming to horticulture, the Chief Minister said that AP was in first position in production of chillies, cocoa, lime, oilpalm, papaya, coconutand tomato and second position in production nof cashew, mango, turmeric and sweet organge. He said Anantapur district would emerge as a big horticulture hub. AP also was No.1 in total fish production and value in the country first in aquaculture area, first in Inland fish production, fourth in marine fish production and contributes 22% of total fish production and 65% of shrimp production in India. AP stands as a major exporter of shrimp in India with share of 45%, he said.