KOCHI: The Swasraya Bharat 2019 Food, Fish and Agriculture Fair organised by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra and other central agencies at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) is luring in hordes of people. The delicacies served there are rich and tasty, like the lip-smacking tilapia grilled to perfection with the right mix of spices.
Around 500kg of farmed seabass and tilapia were sold on the opening day of the three-day festival on Thursday with people waiting patiently to get fresh fish directly from the farmers.
Apart from fish, agricultural products, plants, saplings and seeds, packed food items, hydroponic units, poultry shelters, nutritional supplements and agricultural equipment are up for grabs at the fair.
Several public sector units like the Coconut Development Board, Indian Institute of Spices Research and Central Institute of Fisheries Technology have put up stalls at the fair. Many entrepreneurs have arrived at the fair to introduce new technology and equipment.
“The fair aims to help farmers reach out to the buyers and sell their products without delay. The fair will give the farmers a platform to market their products and to establish a long-term relationship with potential buyers”, said Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) senior scientist Shinoj Subramannian.
Around 40 farmer producer companies found potential buyers for their products, including rice, cereals, pulses, vegetable oils, dairy products and numerous value-added products at the buyer-seller meet held as part of the event.
Agro-drones, used for pest and disease management, are a major attraction at the section that exhibits agriculture tools and machinery.