Drive to curb artificial ripening of fruits

The Health and Food departments, along with the local civic bodies, have launched a drive to curb artificial ripening of fruits using calcium carbide.

Replying to a question by C T Ravi (BJP) in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, Horticulture Minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa said the use of calcium carbide to ripen fruits was banned because of its hazardous effects on health. Field officers of the Health department are conducting random checks on fruit stalls. If traces of calcium carbide are found in the analysis report, cases are lodged as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, he said.

Recently, raids were conducted on mango stalls in Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Chitradurga and Shivamogga districts. Around five tonnes of fruits ripened using calcium carbide were destroyed in Mysuru, he said.

Ravi pointed out that middlemen, rather than farmers, were responsible for the artificial ripening of fruits. The minister said the Horticulture department, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research and the University of Horticultural Sciences, was organising training programmes for farmers on ripening fruits through safe methods, like using ethylene or ethrel.

Shivanand Patil (Cong) said farmers were finding it tough to get financial help under the Krishi Bhagya scheme, which was meant for improving agricultural yield in dryland areas. A sum of Rs 500 crore was alloted for the scheme this year and the last. But the utilisation has been poor as the rules to get subsidy under the scheme are complicated. The unspent money could be used for helping farmers in distress, he suggested.

Responding to him, Shivashankarappa said farmers would utilise the money in the months to come. The government is willing to change the rules to make the scheme farmer-friendly, he said.