Organic Farming as a State Policy
Miguel Braganza
Organic farming in all Assembly segments
To make State fully organic by 2016
The government has initiated efforts to promote organic farming in all Assembly constituencies.
Minister for Agriculture K.P. Mohanan said here on Thursday that the initiative was designed to encourage farmers to switch over to organic methods of cultivation, under a project to convert Kerala into a fully organic State by 2016. Kasaragod district had already switched over to organic farming in the pilot phase of the project.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting to review the performance of public sector undertakings, Mr. Mohanan said the agriculture sector in the State had registered a Gross State Domestic Product growth of 5.26 per cent over the last year. The production of paddy went up to 5.376 lakh tonnes though the acreage of 2.148 hectares showed little increase. The productivity of other crops such as coconut, cassava, mango, pineapple and other fruits and spices, including pepper, ginger, and turmeric, also registered an impressive growth. The domestic vegetable production had gone up to 11.9 metric tonnes.
The Minister said efforts were on to procure vegetables from farmers through Krishi Bhavans and market them through outlets of Horticorp and Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam. Simultaneously, Kerala Agricultural University and the Agriculture Department were involved in a drive to promote processing of agricultural products under the “Safe to Eat” brand.
Vending machinesThe government, he said, was planning to install vending machines in every panchayat to dispense neera, vegetable seeds and products manufactured by Kerafed. The project would be implemented by the departments of Agriculture and Panchayats. The daily production of neera was expected to go up to 20,000 litres by February with the commissioning of new plants by the Coconut Development Corporation at Aralam and Elathur and the KAU campuses at Vellanikara and Vellayani.
Mr. Mohanan said Kerala was expected to become self-sufficient in milk production in another three years. “By that time, we will have added 6,00,000 milch cows to the domestic bovine population, raising the milk production potential to 60 lakh litres.”
Officials from 20 public sector units participated in the review.
Miguel A. Braganza, House No.5/4-A
Ph +91-9822982676; 91-832-2255139
Horticulture.Facilitation.Networking
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Miguel Braganza
Dear Miguel,"Organic Poison Free Produce" needs more holistic approach .Being a Pharmacist I am more concerned with 'Drugs' poisonsthan even your insecticides etc.Just a case in point: Kerala's 600000 milch cows and 6000000 ltr. milkEvery Indian is carrying DDT in his body way beyond safety level. Thishas come mainly through the milk.It has attacked the children first.In today's time it is the antibiotics and other potent drugs that are beingrampantly used on 'very productive' milch cows that are finding their way intohuman body nullifying all your poison free diet . Your next logical movewould be some 'organic drugs. :)Ajit Shirodkar
On Wed, Jan 7, 2015 at 1:19 AM, Miguel Braganza <braganz...@gmail.com> wrote:Dears,This is very progressive. Sikkim has shown the way. Uttarakhand has followed. Mizoram, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have made strides ...and now Kerala is going Organic. Can we do the same in Goa??If we want to rid ourselves of cancers at source, we must eat poisonous insecticide -free food ...rice, coconuts, chilies, pepper, turmeric, onions, cucurbits, brinjals, beans, cowpea, mangoes and other fruits that we can grow ourselves ...WITHOUT INSECTICIDES.Warm regards,Miguel-Organic farming in all Assembly segments
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTTo make State fully organic by 2016
The government has initiated efforts to promote organic farming in all Assembly constituencies.
Minister for Agriculture K.P. Mohanan said here on Thursday that the initiative was designed to encourage farmers to switch over to organic methods of cultivation, under a project to convert Kerala into a fully organic State by 2016. Kasaragod district had already switched over to organic farming in the pilot phase of the project.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting to review the performance of public sector undertakings, Mr. Mohanan said the agriculture sector in the State had registered a Gross State Domestic Product growth of 5.26 per cent over the last year. The production of paddy went up to 5.376 lakh tonnes though the acreage of 2.148 hectares showed little increase. The productivity of other crops such as coconut, cassava, mango, pineapple and other fruits and spices, including pepper, ginger, and turmeric, also registered an impressive growth. The domestic vegetable production had gone up to 11.9 metric tonnes.
The Minister said efforts were on to procure vegetables from farmers through Krishi Bhavans and market them through outlets of Horticorp and Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam. Simultaneously, Kerala Agricultural University and the Agriculture Department were involved in a drive to promote processing of agricultural products under the “Safe to Eat” brand.
Vending machinesThe government, he said, was planning to install vending machines in every panchayat to dispense neera, vegetable seeds and products manufactured by Kerafed. The project would be implemented by the departments of Agriculture and Panchayats. The daily production of neera was expected to go up to 20,000 litres by February with the commissioning of new plants by the Coconut Development Corporation at Aralam and Elathur and the KAU campuses at Vellanikara and Vellayani.
Mr. Mohanan said Kerala was expected to become self-sufficient in milk production in another three years. “By that time, we will have added 6,00,000 milch cows to the domestic bovine population, raising the milk production potential to 60 lakh litres.”
Officials from 20 public sector units participated in the review.