Farmers can increase their income by adopting food processing.

Gulshan Paruthi - Gwalior.             
   
          Gwalior 13 October 2024 - Farmers can get many times the price of their produce by adopting food processing. The government gives subsidy for setting up food processing units and storage centers. Farmers can increase their income by taking advantage of this government scheme. Horticulture and Food Processing Minister Shri Narayan Singh Kushwaha said this while addressing the farmers present in the inaugural session of the four-day district level Kisan Mela cum Seminar which started at the Government Nursery located on Mela Road here from Sunday. On this occasion, he distributed free battery operated spray pumps and improved seeds and medicines of chilli, tomato, coriander and other spice crops to the farmers under the schemes of the Horticulture Department.

          About one thousand farmers will be benefited in this four-day Kisan Mela being organized under Integrated Horticulture Development Mission and Plant Production Scheme. About 248 farmers of Ghatigaon development block participated on the first day of the fair. All of them were given free battery operated spray pumps and improved seeds and medicines of chilli, tomato, coriander and other spice crops. Along with this, senior scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra explained the nuances of advanced farming to the farmers in various training sessions.

          Horticulture and Food Processing Minister Shri Kushwaha said that the government is continuously working to ensure that farmers get full benefit of the cost and hard work of the crop. The government is giving subsidy to farmers for food processing and storage as well as poly house, net, small tractor and other equipment through the Horticulture Department. Farmer brothers should come forward and take advantage of these schemes.

          On this occasion Mr Kushwaha also said that keeping in mind the change in weather, farmers are also being trained to do advanced farming. In this series, this Kisan Mela cum Mahasabha has been organized. He said that to help farmers get a market for their laptops, the government is also organizing Creta-Seller Conference at the district level.

          In the inaugural session of Kisan Mela cum Seminar, Principal Scientist of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Mr. Shailendra Singh Kushwaha explained the techniques of storage and setting up of modern nurseries. Similarly, Horticulture Expert Dr. Rashmi Vajpayee told the farmers that for good yield, the soil and seeds of the field must be treated. At the end of the program, Joint Director Horticulture Mr. Brijendra Singh Bhadoria expressed his gratitude to all. Assistant Director Horticulture Mr. MPS Bundela gave information about the objective of the fair and the activities going on in the district under the Horticulture Department. In the beginning, Minister Mr. Kushwaha inaugurated the Kisan Mela by lighting the lamp.

Strict action will be taken against firms providing substandard seeds.

          Horticulture Minister Shri Narayan Singh Kushwaha said that the government is committed to providing standard i.e. high quality seeds of horticultural crops to the farmers. Keeping this in mind, the government has taken strict action against those seed firms which have compromised with the quality of seeds. Shri Kushwaha appealed to the farmers that if they see any deficiency in the quality of free seeds being provided by the government, then they must inform about it. The government will take action against the firms providing substandard seeds.

A hi-tech nursery will be established at the divisional level.

          Horticulture Minister Shri Narayan Singh Kushwaha said that hi-tech nurseries equipped with all facilities will be set up by the Horticulture Department at the divisional level in the state. This work has already started. He also inspected the government nursery of Gwalior before inaugurating the Kisan Mela. Shri Kushwaha said that it is a matter of happiness that this year, plants worth Rs 7 lakh have been sold from the nurseries of Gwalior so far.

Farmers of Bhitarwar development block will participate in the fair on Monday.

          In the four-day Kisan Mela, on the second day i.e. October 14, 142 farmers from the Bhitarwar block of the district will participate. Similarly, on the third day i.e. October 15, 201 farmers from Dabra block and on the fourth day i.e. October 16, 189 farmers from Murar block will participate.