The government aims at rebuilding the agriculture sector in the State. The five agro-parks being set up as part of it will be completed on time, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
He was speaking after inaugurating work on Banana-Honey Park, the first agro park in the State, at Model Horticultural Farm at Kannara in Thrissur district, on Monday.
“The objective of the agro-parks is to market the agriculture produce as value-added products. This is inevitable for development of farm sector,” he said.
Coconut production had come down in Kerala, the land of coconut. To improve coconut production, all wards of 500 selected panchayats had been given 75 coconut saplings each. By next year, coconut saplings would be distributed to all local body institutions, the Chief Minister said. The government was setting up a coconut-based agro park in Kozhikode to encourage coconut farming. An international seminar would be organised to collect information about value-added products in the coconut sector, he said.
A company had been formed to produce value-added products from rubber. Steps were progressing to market coffee as a special brand. Cold-storage facilities would be provided for storing vegetables. Vehicles with cold storage facilities would also be made available, the Chief Minister said.
The Banana Honey park at Kannara is being set up at ₹25.13 crore. Value-added products from banana and honey will be made at the park. It is expected that more than 150 value-added products can be made and brought to the market through the park.
The work on the park is expected to be completed in eight months. Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar presided over the function.
“Agro parks are the proof for creative changes in policies taken by the LDF government. Producer companies of the farmers will have key participation in agro parks. It is the first initiative to turn farmers into entrepreneurs,” he said.