Varsities, R&D institutes should join hands with farmers: Shobha Karandlaje

BENGALURU: Agriculture universities should join hands with local farmers to increase yield and quality of produce, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Shobha Karandlaje has said.
Addressing an exporters conference in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Karandlaje said they have achieved success in food production, and the focus should be on further increasing the quantity and quality, food processing and marketing so that farmers’ income can be doubled.

“Our farmers in Kolar and Chikkaballapur put in a lot of work to grow tomatoes... but when prices drop to Rs 3-Rs 4 per kg, they dump it on roads and protest. That can be stopped when we take up food processing and ensure that it reaches people who require it,” she added.

 Emphasising the need to focus on quality, the minister said agriculture universities and institutions that are engaged in research should work with the farmers in that endeavour. “Our research should not just be confined to the campuses of universities or other R&D institutes, but is should reach all farmers,” she said.

There is a need to reduce pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables and obtain organic certification, Karandlaje said, adding produce from North Eastern states are in great demand abroad as they do not use pesticides and have adopted organic farming.

M Angamuthu, chairman, APEDA, said as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, APEDA is organising programs across the country. Vanijya Utsav held in Bengaluru is one such programme.  

Arecanut growers want regularisation of privileged lands
Shivamogga District Arecanut Growers’ Society has demanded the State government to take immediate action to regularise the illegal cultivation and residences constructed on privileged lands across the state