$500,000 set aside for Idle Land Development programme - Reddy

$500,000 is being set aside by the Ministry of Agriculture in their budget in this financial year to help develop idle land.

The Ministry is targeting 150 to 160 acres of land to be developed under this programme.

While announcing the Commercial Agriculture (Land Preparation & Land Clearing) Programme, Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment, Doctor Mahendra Reddy says $350,000 has been set aside for landowning Units who can apply to have up to 10 acres of their land cleared and developed.

He says they are targeting 15 landowning units under this category.

Dr Reddy says they are also targeting 20 individual landowners that can apply to have 2 acres of their land cleared under this programme and $150,000 has been assigned for this.

The Minister adds what they foresee from this programme is a maximum return of investment as they are bringing idle land under cultivation.