'Govt to develop post-harvest technologies in all districts'

Cold storage, warehouse, fish and prawn feed processing units proposed for Udupi district

Speaking to media after a review meet of the district-level officers at Zilla Panchayath here on Thursday, he said value addition in the work for the agriculture produce will result in more renewability. He said he will recommend the government for cold storage, warehouse, fish and prawn feed processing units in Udupi district. The responsibility to chalk out the plan for the cold storage by finding out a suitable land for the purpose will be assigned to the APMC. The wages for the labourers will be hiked from Rs 82 to Rs 96 shortly under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. As many as 18,000 families have been registered for the benefits under the programme in Udupi district. They are facilitated to take up supplementary agriculture related activities. A sum of Rs 2.40 crore has been reserved for the purpose in the district, of which Rs 70 lakh has been spent on the project, he informed.

Four food parks

He said four food parks are on cards in the State. The one at Malur is all set for functioning and the remaining three at Hiriyur, Bagalkot and Devaragiri are nearing completion with the pending of civil works. The government is planning to initiate six additional food parks and a spice park will be taken up at Badagi of Uttara Kannada district. Karnataka contributes 10 per cent to the country’s vegetable and fruit market and this percentage will be increased once we will be able to go for sophisticated post-harvest technologies, he added.

Liquid waste management

Integrated liquid waste management is the need of the hour in the district and Rs 42 crore has been allotted for the project. UGD works have been completed in the main areas.

The salinity in the soil is high in this part, and hence production is very low.

Chemical treatment by mixing calcium with the soil may help for high yields. Monocrop cultivation is the pattern of agriculture in the district, it would be more beneficial if the farmers go for multi-crop cultivation to enhance the fertility of the soil, Suresh opined.
Deputy Commissioner P Hemalatha and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Prasanna Kumar were present on the occasion.