The government has decided to encourage winter season vegetable cultivation in Devikulam taluk with the emphasis to develop
100 ha of strawberry cultivation in Kanthallur, Vattavada, Chinnakanal and Devikulam grama panchayats.
In a recent meeting with the farmers by Agriculture Minister V.S.Sunilkumar at Thiruvananthapuram, it was decided to promote the vegetable cultivation in the entire taluk which was favorable for all most all kinds of vegetable cultivation.
On July 18, the Minister will distribute ₹68 lakh worth of subsidy to the winter vegetable farmers in the region. In addition, the Minister will inaugurate the construction works of the ₹6 crore farm roads in Kanthalloor and ₹8.62 crore ponds and check dams in Vattavada grama panchayats, according to an official of the Agriculture Department.
The new projects aims to encourage the strawberry farming and attract more farmers to it, said the official.
Devikulam MLA, S. Rajendran, Vattavada grama panchayat president Ramaraj and agricultural department officials attended the meeting. However, the farmer community said that the projects announced earlier did not achieve the target due to various reasons including lack of irrigation facilities.
“Three years back the Agriculture Department announced the winter vegetable zone project in the region. But the farmers didn't benefit from it. Our request is that the Minister should ensure the successful implementation of the projects,” said Vattavada Winter Vegetable Farmer's Society president K Jayaprakash.
