As a part of promoting sustainable agricultural practices, Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Tirupati, will soon be introducing a full-fledged ‘bio-fertilizer production unit’ for the benefit of the farming community. The facility, which is being established on the campus abutting the Institute of Frontier Technology (IFT), will be completely operational by the end of July.
Outlay
The project, sanctioned in 2014-15 with an outlay of Rs.1.75 crore, initially began with a limited infrastructure contributing towards producing 12 tonnes of bio-fertiliser per annum.
Officials estimate that the new unit will meet their target of producing 200 tonnes per year and help the farmers in Chittoor, Nellore, and Kurnool districts.
“The usage of bio-fertilizer is picking up pace and gaining popularity among the farmers. Many of them have realised the impact of chemical fertilizers on soil fertility and environment, hence the shift to bio-fertilizers owing to its natural components,” maintained IFT principal scientist T. Murali Krishna while speaking to The Hindu.
The officials are currently focusing on the production of dry bio-fertilizers at the facility. “Usage of bio-fertilizers can reduce the dependence on chemical-based ones by more than 30 per cent.
Future plan
ANGRAU’s Director of Extension K. Raja Reddy, Director of Research N.V. Naidu, RARS Associate Director of Research T.C.M. Naidu, Special Officer (soil health management) T. Giridhara Krishna and others were instrumental in setting up the unit in Tirupati. The officials are further planning to introduce ‘liquid bio-fertilizer unit’ which was sanctioned for 2015-16 with an outlay of Rs.1.63 crore by 2017.
