Brahmavar to get agri college next year: Acharya
''The proposed Agricultural College in Brahmavar which was supposed to come up in the current academic year has been postponed to next year following the recommendations by the apex body.
The proposed agricultural college will be opened at Hanumanahatti during this year,” informed Higher Education Minister Dr V S Acharya.
Speaking after inaugurating a one-day training programme to the farmers on “post harvest maintenance of horticultural crops and marketing” organised by Karnataka Horticulture Federation (KHF), Bangalore, in association with Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District HOPCOMS, he said farmers in coastal Karnataka should go for horticulture as conventional paddy cultivation has become totally unviable and not profitable.
He said that there is a good scope for taking up horticultural activities in the coastal districts as weather is conducive for horticultural crops. The farmers are also gradually becoming aware of importance of horticulture following price fluctuation in the cash crops such as areca nut and coconut, he added.
The agriculture research centres should test the soil and help the farmers in growing fruits and other horticulture crops.
He said “India is number two in horticultural produces while number one in milk production in the entire world. However, we need large processing units, new outlook on horticultural crops, proper post harvest management techniques, preventing wastages and proper different linkages with various agencies.
Technology should be used to preserve fruits and vegetables. Besides hybrid varieties of horticulture crops should be used to enhance the export revenue,” he added. He promised that the government will go out of way in meeting the requirements of the growers willing to take up horticulture activities in the coastal district. The government is ready to fill up the field officers posts and other posts in the department, he added. Dr Acharya said “if people can not grow horticulture crops due to lack of space, then they can grow tulasi and flowering plants in front of their house to make the atmosphere healthy in and around the house.” Udupi and Dakshina Kannada district Horticultural Producers’ Co-operative Marketing and Processing Society Ltd President K Lakshminarayana Udupa said that the government should give permission to open cold storage units and HOPCOMS stalls in Udupi district.
Zilla Panchayat President Shankar Poojary presided. Taluk Panchayat President Devadas Hebbar, CMC President Kirankumar and others were present.
