The Amma Farm Women Group based at Vellivalasu, near Arachalur, in Modakurichi taluk has been tasting success in the manufacture of animal feed in recent months.
The group with 20 members has so far manufactured and sold 45 tonnes of high-quality animal feed to farmers in villages in Modakurichi block over the last three months.
The group, which had invested Rs. 10 lakh, has in its possession 20 tonnes of inputs for the sought-after product brand-named CP Animal Feed. The group has been manufacturing the product with inputs sourced from local farmers with machinery taken on lease. The group had undergone training in manufacture of the product at the Animal Feed Analytical and Quality Assurance Laboratory, Namakkal, under Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) scheme, Agriculture Department officials said. The group has been able to sell the quality feed at competitive price to farmers.
At a formal inauguration of the product sale recently, Director of Agriculture M. Rajendran accorded a thrust to the group’s initiative by recommending bank loan for purchase of machinery for setting up manufacturing and construction of a godown. In his address, Mr. Rajendran said Tamil Nadu had attained self-sufficiency in food grain production. Widespread soil testing and guidance on use of manure, use of certified seeds, forecast of information pertaining to rainfall and pest attack, and digging of farm ponds contributed to high productivity. He said there were 1,530 Amma Mahalir Pannai Kuzhus initiated under the Department of Agriculture and another 220 under Department of Horticulture.
The group with 20 members has so far sold 45 tonnes to farmers over the last three months
