Horticorp is planning to augment production and marketing of vegetables and fruits as part of the government’s ambitious project to make the State self-reliant in vegetable and fruits.
Better network
Horticorp Managing Director J.Sajeev said Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar had announced schemes aimed at expanding the marketing network of the corporation.
Mr. Sajeev said the focus was on promoting farm tourism as a key revenue mobilisation source and Horticorp was planning to launch farm tourism projects in Munnar, Wayanad, Kumarakom, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram.
He said the strawberry park of the corporation on its 2.5-acre land in Munnar had turned out to be a success.
‘Pick and pack’ scheme
The ‘pick and pack’ scheme, by which customers themselves could pluck fruit from the farm at ₹400 a kg, was a major attraction at the park. The corporation could produce 6.5 tonne of strawberry there, he said.
Mr. Sajeev said a strawberry processing plant attached to the park had started producing value-added products of strawberry and other fruits.
Talking to The Hindu , Mr. Sunil Kumar said the Agriculture Department would extend strawberry farming to 100 ha this year in Munnar.
The Minister said Horticorp would be opening honey parks in Thrissur, Ernakulam, and Mavelikkara this year itself.
Mr. Sajeev said value-added honey and fruit products of Horticorp would be on sale at the honey parks.
Procurement up
Mr. Sunil Kumar said Horticorp could increase its annual vegetable procurement from Vattavada, Kanthallur, Munnar, and Devikulam from 198 tonne, worth ₹37.17 lakh, in 2015-’16 to 1,647.923 tonne, worth ₹418.42 lakh, in 2019-’20.
The vegetables and fruits procured were being sold through its 100 outlets across the State.
