Steps will be initiated to promote cultivation at the Kole fields of Thrissur and Ponnani area, along the lines of the Idukki and Kuttanad packages, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
He was speaking after inaugurating Haritholsavam 2011, a national agri-horti festival, at the Agricultural Urban Wholesale Market at Maradu here on Saturday.
While admitting that the implementation of different agriculture promotion schemes were not up to the mark, Mr. Chandy observed that the condition of agricultural products, except rubber, had not been bright in the immediate past.
The State government had allotted Rs.25 lakh as its contribution towards establishing a society for organising the annual agri-horti festival, Mr. Chandy said.
Delivering the keynote address, Union Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies K.V. Thomas said that a pilot project for establishing temperature-controlled warehouses for agricultural produce would be launched at Maradu. The Union government had earmarked Rs.150 crore for this. Temperature-controlled warehouses, godowns and container yards would be established as part of it. Cold storages would also be set up in Thrikkakara area, he said.
The Union government had already announced subsidy to the tune of Rs.60 crore during this Onam festival season. As much as 54,000 metric tonnes of rice would be distributed at the rate of Rs.11.85 a kg as against the market rate of Rs.22 and 27,000 metric tonnes of wheat would be distributed at Rs.8.45 as against the market price of Rs.16.
Policy needed
Inaugurating the theme pavilion, which focussed on banana, at the festival, renowned scientist M.S. Swaminathan said that the State needed an agricultural policy that balanced conservation of soil and bio-diversity and made farming economically sustainable to the farmer.
The State held good potential for development of agriculture. While banana and plantain production witnessed an increase of 17 times in during the last 40 years, rubber had a 30-fold increase, he said. Lessons should be imbibed from the horticultural scene, where production had increased in a marked manner, but post-harvest system had not evolved correspondingly. The advancement achieved in milk production through improving the processing and marketing network should be replicated to improve the condition of agriculture, Dr. Swaminathan said.
Minister for Excise and Ports K. Babu presided over the function.
K.P. Dhanapalan, MP; V.D. Satheesan, Dominic Presentation, Benny Behnan and Ludy Luiz, MLAs; V.C. Gupta, Secretary to Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies; P.I. Sheikh Pareed, District Collector; Tony Chamminy, Mayor; Eldose Kunnappally, district panchayat president; and T.K. Devarajan, Maradu municipality chairman, were present.
Poultry scheme
The Union Minister also launched the Akshaya poultry scheme, developed by the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, aimed at enhancing household egg production.
The festival will be on till September 7.
