The subsidised kitchen garden kits sold by the Department of Horticulture, Government of Tamil Nadu is seeing a renewed interest among many Chennai residents. Officials of the Department attribute it to various reasons, the prominent ones being the slashed price of the kit, soaring price of vegetables especially tomatoes in the last few weeks and increased awareness about going organic.
After last year’s lockdown, the sale of these “do it yourself” kits, aimed at encouraging urban dwellers to grow vegetables, started on December 8 at the depots in Chennai. And in most of the depots, they have run out of stock.
“In two days we sold more than 470 kits and we are waiting for our next stock to arrive,” said Rajeevan CH, horticulture officer, Anna Nagar. He says the price of the kit has been slashed from ₹900 to ₹ 225.
The kits come with varieties of vegetable seeds, grow bags, bio-pesticides and cocopeat block. A kit of eight medicinal plants is another new addition.
Rajeevan says that all the depots have started selling these terrace garden kits, subsidy is being offered for drip irrigation.
The depot at Madhavaram have also run out of stock. “The awareness on eating healthy has grown over the years, so much of our enquiries from customers are about how fast the seeds will grow to what care must be given,” says a officer from the Madhavaram depot.
R. Nathiya, assistant horticulture officer, Thiruvanmiyur says that for the first time bookings for the purchase of the kits can be made online. “Or, if you plan to come in person, make sure to carry a photocopy of the Aadhar card and a passport size photograph,” says Nathiya.
The kits can be bought from the following places: Thiruvanmiyur, near RTO office; Anna Nagar Horticulture Depot, Arignar Anna Government Hospital of Indian Medicine - Contact 98402 55347; Madhavaram, Milk Colony road. Contact 8870562306; and SemmozhiPoonga, Cathedral Road contact 9677140624
