Value-added agricultural products helped farmers earn more: Kerala Agriculture Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fifty agricultural entrepreneurs who took part in the Vaiga 2023 programme have become lucky with the state agriculture department helping them come out with a detailed project report to the tune of Rs 30.15 crore. The agriculture department  informed that Canara Bank has come forward to provide them loans to start their entrepreneurial innings in a big way. Agriculture Minister P Prasad said that value-added products from agricultural produce have helped farmers earn more income. The sixth edition of Vaiga 2023 will conclude at Putharikandam Maidan on Thursday. 

The DPR lab was set up giving a thrust on science and technology-related projects which saw scientists, finance experts, agriculture infrastructure fund representatives, agriculture department officials, incubator experts and financial institution experts from NABARD listening to the agricultural entrepreneurs. Then they were huddled with final-year agriculture students and economics professors from Kerala Agricultural  University. The 10-day-long DPR lab culminated on February 28.

On Wednesday, the DPR was finalised and the draft was presented before experts. The value-added products from coconut, input custom hearing centre’s initiative, fruits and vegetables, spices, rice products and honey.

Agriculture minister informed that the ‘Kerala Agro’ brand comprising 65 products was launched online which has become a successful initiative. He said the simplest way to earn more is to come out with value-added products.

“More people should enter the farming business if we want to increase agricultural production. If our aim was to form 10,000 farmers’ collectives, we have come up with a whopping 26,000 units. This shows how the people have welcomed such initiatives with an open mind,” said Prasad.