Quality produce will help farmers get more income: Expert

Vellore: Introducing 'Quality produce' in agricultural production would be possible, only after the quality agricultural technologies are brought to the field. It helps the farmers to triple their incomes, said H. Philip, director, Extension Education, Tamil Nadu Agriculture university, Coimbatore, at the inaugural farmers symposium at ‘Uzhavar Kalanjiyam-2015’, a two-day agricultural expo that began in VIT university here on Saturday. 

 

He said with the vast population growth in the country, there was a need to double agricultural production. This could be possible only when the researchers, extension workers, banks and farmers come together to increase the food production, said Philip. He said in the field of agriculture, it had become mandatory to produce value-added food products too. He hoped the two-day symposium on agriculture would help achieve the desired goal for the increase in the food production.

 

Earlier, VIT university founder-chancellor Dr G. Viswanathan declared open the agricultural-expo by cutting a ribbon at the Foodys Court, at VIT campus. The Kalanjiyam has been organised jointly by NABARD Bank and TN Agricultural university with VIT university.

 

In his inaugural address, Dr G. Viswanathan said due to drought in several parts of the country and when the farmers were unable to repay their loan amount, they were driven to extremes of committing suicide. He said suicides were taking place in the farm sector and the problems they face could be set right with "efficient water management". Pointing out to a report that the ground-water-level in 139 blocks of the state had miserably gone down he said in 16 blocks of Vellore district, groundwater was over-exploited. The remaining four blocks were also heading for the same position and it must be saved by employing efficient water management, he urged. 

 

He also pointed out that nearly 130 tmcft of water flowed into the sea from 10 rivers, including the Cauvery. The wastage of water could be avoided if proper steps were taken and farmers should be made more aware on saving rainwater. Dr Viswanathan also urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the linking of 37 rivers. 

 

He also added that the linking of rivers from Godavari to Cauvery could be implemented soon with the joint efforts of both the Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu government. Chief general manager of Nabard, Chennai, K.V.Rao in his special address, said its schemes were farmer-friendly. He said the bank had been targeting to form 40 joint-liability groups with landless farmers and farmers having small holdings. If all the farmers came and join together, the bank was prepared to lend money to them through Regional Rural banks and Co-operative banks.

 

Rao said, a large part of price paid to agricultural products went to middlemen. If farmers associations, clubs in larger portion joined together the marketing of agricultural produce would be taken up by Nabard and avert middlemen looting the profits of farmers. 

 

State Agriculture department joint secretary S. Rajendran, said the new technologies in the field of agriculture should reach farmers to face the changing circumstances. He said the farmers should undertake rotational crop basis as recommended by TNAU at the same time to keep in view the need for soil protection. The VIT university Vice President, G.V. Selvam was among those who offered felicitation at the inaugural.