With funds from National Agriculture Development Programme, the Tamil Nadu Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops was able to bring down the price of its kitchen garden kit to Rs. 200, from Rs.500.
“In the last two months — that is, ever since the price was reduced — around 10,000 kits have been sold,” says a horticultural official.
The package includes coco-peat, organic fertilisers and pesticides, grow bags and seeds of ten vegetables such as lady’s finger, brinjal, chillies, bitter-gourd and greens along with a know-how manual.
The kitchen garden kit is part of a Urban Horticulture Development Scheme that is aimed at encouraging city dwellers to grow their own vegetables. One can buy a maximum of five kits at the subsidised price. Those interested have to produce a photocopy of their Aadhar card or Ration card along with their photograph.
The kits are sold at the following horticulture depots: Tiruvanmiyur (Ph: 044- 24510597 / 9840255347 / 9841317618 / 9382727340); Anna Nagar (9841155808 / 9841945124 / 8056086634 / 9677140624) and Madhavaram (Ph: 9444017170 / 9884090277 / 9840079551). The depots are open from Monday to Friday (from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.).
“We also conduct camps at the parks of the Greater Chennai Corporation, educational institutions and IT companies,” the horticulture official adds.
