THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Although severe crop loss has occurred at several places due to heavy rain, efforts have been taken to provide vegetables and fruit at fair value during Onam, Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar said. He was inaugurating the Niraputhari Harvest Festival here. Over 5,000 metric tonnes of vegetables are being readied from the Vattavada-Kanthallooor region alone. Excess vegetable produce will be collected and made available to the public via 2,000 Onam markets set up by the Krishi Bhavan.
He launched the ventures of the Integrated Farming Systems Research Station (IFSRS) such as the Crop Bazar and action force. O Rajagopal MLA presided over the function. An integrated farming method is followed at the institute. He said Krishi Bhavan is formulating programmes to implement integrated farming across the state. For many decades, paddy and paddy sheaves required for various rituals - like Niraputhari - in south Kerala temples, including Attukal temple, are being provided by the IFSRS.