PALAKKAD:Concerned over the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers on fruits and vegetables that hit the local market from the neighbouring states, the Agricultural Department here has embarked on a mission to promote the indigenous crop varieties of Attappadi, along with vegetable and fruit cultivation, to cater to the state’s nutritional needs.
If things go as planned, organically-grown ragi, pigeon-pea, millet, thina, and other vegetables and fruits under brand Attappadi will soon replace the chemical-laced farm produce in the markets across the state.
Around 6,305 hectares of land has been identified for the purpose in Attappadi. Also, there is a plan to start three Agro Service Centres at Agali, Puthur and Sholayur to co-ordinate various activities to realise the mission.
“The land identified for the purpose has been divided into different sections for cultivating various crops in accordance with their nature, area, environment etc. Around 475 hectares of land has been identified for cultivating ragi, 550 hectares for maize, 700 hectares for small maize, 280 hectares for chama, 405 hectares for thina, 500 hectares for millet, 1,100 hectares for cow pea, 305 hectares for black gram, 370 hectares for pigeon gram, 800 hectares for ground nut, 370 hectares for Bengal gram and 450 hectares for growing beans. Also, land has been identified for vegetable and fruit cultivation,” said K K Shobhana, principal agricultural officer.
Hundreds of uneducated youth and traditional farmers have been selected for this mission, who will be provided training on various sophisticated farming methods, but absolutely in line with organic modes of farming. “The farmers will get seeds, fertilisers and agricultural equipment free of cost through the Agro Service Centres. The farmers will cultivate the crops under the guidance of trained officials. Once the crops are harvested, the
farmers can distribute the produce in the markets across the state with the help of a society to be formed for the marketing of products under the ‘Attappadi brand’. The society will have educated youth from Attappadi. It will be the tribal people from the region who will do the entire work with our assistance,” said Shobhana.
“Earlier, the tribal people here used to cultivate indigenous crops like ragi, maize, thuvara, thina etc, but gradually stopped it due to various reasons. These crops were the back bone of the health and economy of the tribal people, and they started losing both with the stopping of the farming. With this new mission, the Agricultural Department hopes to eliminate all the issues of Attappadi,” she said.
A proposal, with an estimated cost of Rs 19 crore, has been sent to the Agricultural Department by the district Agricultural Department. It is learnt that the Central Government will bear Rs 10 crore of the total cost of the project and the state Rs 9 crore.