BENGALURU: With 260 stalls and 1,000 farmers, the three-day ‘National Trade Fair- Organics and Millets started on Friday. Speaking at the inauguration, Maheshwar Rao, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, said, “There has been a tremendous growth in the organic food sector. There is currently a produce of 271 million in the state. Good quality seeds and better chemicals have increased the growth of millets by 20-25 percent over the last 4-5 years.”
“Moreover, the interest in millets rose partly due to a rise in lifestyle-related ailments, coupled with an increase in the awareness and desire for a balanced diet. Healthy living and eating has been gaining priority leading to a massive growth in the agriculture sector, which is set to grow from 500 million to 1.3 billion in the next four years,” he added. Millets have a lot of health benefits.
Jayaram H R, a farmer from Kanakapura who has been doing this for 19 years, gave up his law practice and now runs ‘the Green Path Organic State’, which includes a multi-cuisine restaurant, organic store and detox cafe in Sheshadripuram. “Paying 20 per cent extra for a pristine products like organic products at a premium price is better than having chemically laced vegetables,” Jayaram said.
Organic compost
One Kg of Vermicompost was available at Rs 60 and 2 kg coco pith at Rs 70, which is made with sterilised, medicated coconut husk; panchagavya made of cow dung/urine, jaggery, rice flour were available at Rs 100 per litre here.