KANNUR: The government will ensure that high-value crops and value-added agriculture are promoted, Agriculture Minister P Prasad said on Sunday.
He was inaugurating north Kerala’s first bio-control laboratory built with the financial assistance of the State Horticulture Mission at the Kannur Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KKVK).
“The agriculture department is paying special attention to increasing the productivity of crops and making quality products. Bio-control labs are being built for such activities. We are in a position to help the farmer by giving importance to secondary agriculture,” Prasad said.
He said climate change, feral boar, and pest infestation are all affecting farmers.
“The laboratory system can help farmers in such situations by providing improved seeds and pesticides using modern technology,” he said.
The minister presented the QR code collection of the KKVK publication, Krishi Jalakam, prepared to provide farmers easy access to agricultural knowledge. Taliparamba MLA M V Govindan presided over the function. District Panchayat President P P Divya released the eco-friendly plant protection handbook and pamphlets published by the Krishi Vignan Kendra.
The lab will focus on manufacturing medicines for fungal and bacterial diseases, as well as combating pests and insects that attack crops. The KVK will provide 15 types of beneficial organisms that promote nutrient availability and foster crop growth.
The lab will produce bio-fertilisers, nematodes designed to target crop pests, beauveria, lecani psyllium, metarhizium, and friendly organisms that kill pests. The lab is the first unit in north Kerala to produce bio-fertilisers on a commercial scale.