Aid to develop vineyards

 
Addressing a press meet here on Thursday, he said that the Union government has been extending financial assistance to the tune of crores of rupees to promote horticulture under National Horticulture Mission. The Mission also provides for export of quality horticultural produces. “Farmers should therefore grow quality produces making use of drip irrigation and other modern technologies,” he suggested.

Food parks

Suresh said that mango processing and research centres would be set up in Chintamani and Srinivaspur taluks where the produce is being grown in abundance. Food Parks will be established at Malur, Hiriyur, Jewargi and Bagalkot, this year. Steps have also been taken to establish Food Parks in Davangere, Shimoga, Tumkur, Bijapur and Bangalore Rural districts.

Cold storage unit will be set up in Bijapur, Kushtagi, Dharwad and Bagalkot. Subsidy will be given to private entrepreneurs who come forward for establishing food processing units, he revealed.

Additional Secretary for Agriculture and Horticulture Department, Dr Vasanth Kumar said that Chikkaballapur would soon find a place in the world map owing to its proximity to Bangalore International Airport. The City would develop as an alternative to Bangalore as industrial infrastructure is available and establishment of two vineyards is a testimony to this fact, he noted.

Powers to DCs

The state government is getting more income from grape and cashew nut crops. Four lakh tonnes of fruits and vegetables are being grown in 45,000 hectares of land in the district. Deputy Commissioners have been given the authority to issue licence for wine manufacturing and permission has already been granted for establishment of four wine units in the district.

He said that rose onion has great demand in international market and the weather in Chikkaballapur district is conducive to grow the produce. The onion could be converted into powder and farmers can earn more income by establishing such processing units.
Deputy Commissioner Anwar Pasha said that licences are being issued to farmers and entrepreneurs intending to set up  vineyards and food processing units in the district.

Additional Deputy Commissioner G S Nayak, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department Sainath, Joint Director of Agriculture Department Nataraj and others were present at the press meet.