The Kodannur Kole Farming Cooperative Society at Cherpu in Thrissur district has won State Award for best farming society in 2008-09. The ‘Nelkathir Award’ carries Rs. 2 lakh, citation and gold medal.
The ‘Karshakothama Award’ for farmers doing arable farming, animal husbandry and dairying along with fish farming went to M. M. Looka of Chungathara village in Malappuram district. P. M. Mathew of Agali village in Palakkad was chosen as the best coconut farmer. T. V. Rajnarayanan of Thiruvilluamala in Thrissur district won the award for young farmer and Britishiya of Chirayinkizhu in Thiruvananthapuram district won the award for young woman for farming.
Each of the awards carries Rs. 1 lakh, gold medal, plaque and certificate. The other winners of the State awards, carrying cash prizes of varying amounts, for the year are the following: Karshaka Jyothi (for best farmer belonging to SC and ST): Ponnan, Chittoor, Palakkad.
Shrama Sakthi (for best agriculture worker): V. Vijayakumari, Chungathara, Malappuram. Karshaka Mitra (for best agriculture officer): E. Ajimol, Vengad Krishi Bhavan, Kannur.
Haritha Keerthi (for best agriculture farm under panchayats): Sugarcane seed farm, Panthalam. Ksheera Dhara (for best dairy farmer rearing high yielding cows): Parameswaran Namboothiri, Ongallur, Palakkad.
Poultry Award (for poultry farmer with best fowls): P. V. Ramlat, Thrithala, Palakkad. Karshaka Bharati (for best agricultural journalist): Vakkom B. Gopinathan, retired Deputy Director of Agriculture, Chirayinkizhu. Announcing the awards, Minister for Agriculture Mullakkara Ratnakaran said that Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan would present the awards at a function to be held at Kadackal in Kollam district on August 17. An award for best farmer doing organic farming would be introduced from next year. Kadackal had been selected as one of the’ Dhanuanthir villages’ announced in the Budget and each family in the village would be supplied with medicinal plants for planting. Training would be imparted for cultivation and making of Ayurvedic medicines.
