PALAKKAD: THE orange and vegetable farm at Nelliampathy will be converted to a model farm to attract scientists, Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran has said. Environment-friendly huts will be built at the farms for the visitors. Mullakkara was speaking after inaugurating the renovated greenhouses and sales outlets at the orange and vegetable farm at Nelliampathy on Saturday. The Minister also laid the foundation stone for the new office complex at the farm.
The new projects are being undertaken by the Agriculture Department with the cooperation of the Horticultural Mission.
“A butterfly park is also on the cards to lure tourists to the farm,” the Minister said.Mullakkara said that during the LDF Government’s rule, `3,000 crore had been disbursed to the paddy farmers while `125 crore was given to the vegetable farmers.
“If the Centre provided subsidy to coconut growers as in the case of palm oil, it would be a great relief for the farmers here,” he said.
Mullakkara said the Agriculture Department focused on schemes which aimed at encouraging the rural folks to cultivate crops aimed at self-reliance. The agriculture sector received a boost thanks to the ‘koottayma’ of women, families and children. Mullakkara Ratnakaran also inaugurated the model floricultural unit