To boost agriculture in the State, the Tamil Nadu government in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Madurai and Tamil Nadu Agriculture Department will be organising “Vivasaaya Thiruvizha 2013” a three-day farmers’ festival from December 5 at the Agricultural College and Research Institute campus here.
Speaking to reporters in Madurai on Saturday, A. Kathir Kamanathan, Chairman, CII, Madurai said that the State Government plans to achieve an annual growth rate of 5.1 percent in the agriculture sector from the current negative growth.
The farmers’ event aims at bringing the latest technology and best practices from the industry to the farmers of the State, he added.
Recently, the State government in its budget had announced that it would soon come out with a special package of incentives for encouraging investments for the development of the industrially backward south Tamil Nadu.
On the Madurai-Tuticorin Corridor plan, Mr. Kathir said that the government would focus on the development of this industrial corridor during the year 2013-14 as the project was a significant component of the Vision 2023 document unveiled by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
The State government has proposed to create an agri-business region, four manufacturing regions, two business investment regions, a special tourism zone, one rural tourism hub and one knowledge hub in the Madurai-Tuticorin corridor.
“Our economy depends on the agriculture sector. Many industries are directly or indirectly dependent on it”, said C. Chinnusamy, Dean, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai.
Farmers, researchers, bankers, students from 12 districts will be participating in the event.
Around 65 exhibitors from agro industries like farm mechanisation, fertilizers, seeds, pesticides and micro irrigation would display their products to the farmers.
