N. Chandrashekaran, superintendent of the Government Agricultural Farm at Kottukkal, near Anchal, in Kollam district has said that more number of farmers in the district are showing deep interest in organic farming. This is a positive sign and has to be tapped and promoted in the right manner, he said.
Talking to The Hindu at the farm where rich crops of ripe vegetables are being harvested for seed production, he said that when it comes to backyard vegetable farms for individual use, the farming medium has already turned organic. “The trend gives positive indications that the State government’s organic farming target will meet with success,” he said.
He said that this season the farm has a target of selling 1,500 kg of vegetable seeds to farmers in the district as part of the district panchayat programme to make Kollam self-sufficient in ten traditional vegetables. Harvest of the vegetables crops meant for the purpose on 10 acres in the farm is nearing completion.
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The seeds are those of snake gourd, bitter gourd, ladies finger, pumpkin, cucumber, chillies, long beans, ivy gourd, brinjal and tomatoes. The farm will also supply five lakh vegetable saplings to farmers through the various Krishi Bhavans in the district. In addition to that, saplings of various tuber crops and various varieties of banana are also being sold to farmers.
Mr. Chandrashekaran said that the vegetables for seed production are harvested as they ripen. The programme managed by the Agriculture Department has already enabled the district to attain near self-sufficiency in the production of vegetables like snake gourd, bitter gourd and long beans during the season.
“The positive aspect is that even in the local markets, more and more people have started preferring and demanding locally harvested organically grown vegetables. He said that during this season the farm expects a revenue of Rs.12 lakh through the sale of seeds.
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During last fiscal, the farm was able to generate revenue of Rs. 1.05 crore and this fiscal the revenue expected is Rs.2 crore.
Last Onam season, 10 tonnes of organically grown vegetables was sold through Onam markets.