Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced plans to attract entrepreneurs, agriculture firms, and private companies to participate under a public-private-partnership (PPP) model to take up large-scale saffron cultivation at Lambasingi in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district.
Lambasingi, about 90 km from the scenic Araku Valley, is know as the “Kashmir of the South” in Andhra Pradesh. In India, saffron is currently primarily cultivated in Kashmir.
Chief Minister Naidu said that the state government would give incentives to kick off saffron cultivation in Lambasingi. Sources said that several companies have approached the Naidu government, seeking to lease land as well as licences and permissions to grow saffron. According to the sources, the government has held consultations with tribal communities that live in the area and made the decision to open land for saffron cultivation after getting their consent.
Naidu also announced plans to grow cocoa in the state, and develop a “Cocoa City” on 500 acres in Eluru district.
“With the participation of local tribal communities, private companies are permitted to grow saffron in Lambasingi extensively,” he said, appealing to private players to invest in Lambasingi, which is located in the Eastern Ghats in the Chintapalli Mandal of Alluri Sitharama Raju district at a height of 1,000 metres, where the weather is suitable to grow saffron.
Naidu said his government would provide all kinds of assistance to anyone interested in starting saffron farming in Lambasingi, including allotting land and other resources.
Sources said the saffron cultivation plan was discussed during a meeting, where action plans were discussed to transform Andhra Pradesh into the largest natural farming hub in the country.
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Naidu asked officials to press farmers to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers, so that they can be marketed abroad. He stressed the importance of providing certification and traceability facilities to ensure the quality of natural farming products, which is demanded by markets in the European Union.
He announced that training programmes on natural farming would be conducted state-wide in collaboration with Subhash Palekar, a renowned agriculturist credited with developing the zero-budget natural farming technique. Naidu also stressed the need to increase the share of Andhra Pradesh’s agricultural products in national and international markets.
Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu said a Cocoa City over 500 acres in Eluru district, encompassing cultivation, processing, and marketing at international standards, would come up soon. He pointed out the scope for intercropping in mango, cocoa, cashew, and coconut plantations, and asked officials to encourage farmers in this direction.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
Expertise and Experience
Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
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High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.
Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.
Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.
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