Hassan: Retired IPS officer SN Siddaramappa advised the farmers to grow pomegranates of export quality to increase their income. He addressed the pomegranate farmers during a workshop at Alur organised by the Southern Region Pomegranate Growers' Cooperative (SRPG) and National Pomegranate Research Center in Solapur, Maharashtra, on Tuesday.
Siddaramappa explained the use of high-quality pesticides to cultivate export-quality pomegranates. Using high and good quality medicines and pesticides would increase demand and export volume, thereby doubling income, he said. He also mentioned the importance of adopting necessary technical skills.
Siddaramappa urged the cooperative societies to support the farmers and pointed out that pomegranate prices fluctuate, causing losses to farmers. The cooperative should handle purchase and export of the fruit to mitigate this issue, he suggested.
SRPG president HR Yogeshwar said the workshop aimed to motivate farmers to grow export-quality pomegranates. To match the quality standards of Europe and America, the cooperative is organising supportive programmes and workshops. He stressed that pomegranate growers need to be financially strong and possess technical knowledge, as it is a commercial crop.
Farmers should acquire knowledge to produce quality fruits, which will lead to greater profits. In the future, he advised using high-quality medicines and minimal fertilisers to grow good fruits.
Senior scientists from the National Pomegranate Research Center in Solapur, Maharashtra, including N Manjunath, Nilesh Gayakwad, MH Mallikarjun, and Shilpa Parashuram, delivered technical talks to enhance the knowledge and skills of pomegranate growers. During the event, five progressive farmers from various districts were honoured for achieving the highest yields.