CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday launched the Nutrient-sensitive Agriculture Mission to be implemented at a total cost of Rs 126.48 crore. The scheme, jointly funded by the union and state governments, has 10 components.
Of these, the CM launched three components - distribution of kits for vegetable seeds, fruit saplings, and pulse seeds. The remaining components will be rolled out in due course.
Under the seed distribution scheme, 15 lakh vegetable seed kits containing tomato, brinjal, okra, chilli, cluster beans and greens will be provided free of cost to encourage home gardening. Similarly, 9 lakh fruit sapling kits with fast-yielding varieties like papaya, guava and lemon, and 1 lakh pulse seed kits with toor dal and black-eyed peas will be distributed.
Other components of the mission include expansion of vegetable and fruit cultivation areas, promotion of trellised vegetable farming on 1,200 acres, and implementation of a pulse expansion scheme covering 5.72 lakh acres. Toor dal cultivation will be intensified on 80,000 acres, particularly in districts where the crop area has shrunk.
Under the vegetable cultivation component, tomato, onion, drumstick, brinjal, green chilli, okra, and leafy greens will be cultivated over 14,000 acres.
To promote the cultivation of fruits rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins, dietary fibre, iron, and minerals, fruit farming will be encouraged over an area of 12,000 acres.
Also, to enhance the production of trellised vegetables (such as gourds and climbers), trellis structures will be established across 1,200 acres. The pulse expansion scheme will be implemented covering 5.72 lakh acres, benefitting 2.5 lakh farmers.
Additionally, five mushroom production units will be established in rural areas, and 4,000 mobile vending vehicles will be distributed to help farmers sell directly to consumers.