Picking up inputs on latest agricultural practices from the region, a group of 15 farmers from Orissa undertook an exposure visit to the district over the past four days.
Farmers from Ganjam, Koraput and Malkangiri districts in Orissa were part of the team that was on the visit organised under the Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize (ISOPOM) that concluded on Thursday. The team was accompanied by S.P.Samantaray, Agronomist, and Mahes Kumar Padhy, Agriculture Officer, from Orissa.
Agriculture Department officials, led by J.Sekar, Joint Director of Agriculture, Tiruchi, briefed the team on agricultural practices adopted in the district, the different crops and the productivity trends. The farmers were also given an overview of the system of rice intensification technique in paddy cultivation.
First hand account
The team visited oil palm plantation of Naryanan, a farmer at L.Abisekapuram village near Lalgudi to get a first hand account of cultivation methods. They were also briefed on oil palm cultivation methods, taxonomy, yield prospects, the price and profitability to farmers by R.Chandrasekaran, Deputy Director of Agriculture (Central schemes), Tiruchi.
The team also visited an oil extraction unit at Varanavasi village and the oil palm plantation maintained by the Cauvery Oil Palm Ltd, where they were briefed on the oil extraction methods and by-products of oil palm.
At the Government Coconut Nursery and Coconut Crossing Centre, the team studied process of producing hybrid coconuts seeds and raising of coconut seedlings in the nursery.
The team was also oriented to groundnut cultivation through visits to the fields at Valaiyur village near Manachanallur and the seed processing unit at Manachanallur.
