THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Department of Agriculture has announced the state awards for farmers, agriculture scientists and department officials for 2012-13. The Mitraniketan Viswanathan Nelkathir award for the best group-farming venture has gone to the Central Padasekhara Nelluthpadana Samithi in Kinassery, Palakkad. The award comprises a purse of ` 2,00,000, gold medal, citation and a statuette.
M A Mohammed, Kadavallur, Thrissur, bagged the Karshakothama award for integrated farming whereas Simy K V, Kanul, Kannur, has won the award for young woman farmer. Renjith, Mala, Thrissur, has been selected the best young male farmer.
The Kerakesari award for the best coconut farmer has gone to Kumaraswamy, Meenakshipuram, Palakkad and the Haritha Mitra award for the best vegetable farmer was bagged by K Mohanan, Uchakkada, Thiruvananthapuram.
The Udyanashreshta award for the best garden farmer was bagged by Johny Thomas, Venkitadang, Thrissur. K Raman of Wayanad has been selected for the Karshaka Jyothi award, instituted for the farmers in the SC/ST category. The awards carry a cash prize of `1,00,000, gold medal, citation and a statuette each.
Minister for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry K P Mohanan announced the awards at a press conference here on Tuesday.
While the Karshaka Thilakam award for the best woman farmer has gone to Aisha Beevi of Pattazhi in Kollam, the Shramashakthi award for the best agricultural labourer was bagged by Sunitha Shaju of Thrissur. The awards carry a gold medal, citation and a statuette. The award money of `25,000 will divided between the two women. C Narayanakutty of Agricultural Research Centre, Mannuthy, had been adjudged the best agricultural scientist.