Organic farming has bright future, says minister

Minister for Higher Education T B Jayachandra called upon people to accept organic farming. He was speaking after inaugurating ‘Jenina Jhenkara Mattu Savayava Mela’, a two-day festival on apiculture and organic farming organised by Horticulture Department here on Saturday.

He said the State government has been supporting organic farming and it has a bright future. The demand for crops cultivated using organic manure is increasing. The people should also accept organic farming, he stated.

Twenty-five stalls have displayed a wide range of honey and its products. The medicinal values of honey have also been highlighted at the mela. The exhibition-cum-sale of organic products is also on at the venue. Materials used in organic farming have also been exhibited.

Dakshina Kannada Beekeepers’ Cooperative Society, Puttur, have displayed wooden beehives, honey extractor, rock bee comb, ‘Jenu Haralugattida Sakkare’ and varieties of honey like ‘Litchi honey,’ ‘Kuntalu honey,’ ‘Rubber honey,’ ‘Sunflower honey’ and ‘Honey from tobacco flower.’ Organic vegetables like ‘Basale Soppu’ ‘Harive Soppu,’ ‘Sambar Cucumber’, ‘Okra,’ ‘Elephant Foot Yam,’ ‘Sapota’, banana, pineapple and others were on sale.

Arun Mehendale, an organic farmer from Guruvayanakere in Belthangady taluk, is selling boiled brown rice grown organically. He said he has been cultivating crops using organic manure from 1993. “I cultivate paddy during rainy season. I reap 25 quintals of harvest. The rice is not polished and good for health as well,” he added.

A hornet nest, an enemy of honey bees, has also been displayed at the venue. A live demonstration of Thuduve variety of bees was also one among the event’s attractions.

The students of SDM College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, Ujire, have prepared different beverages from honey at the mela.

Sale of different ayurvedic medicinal products made from honey is also on. The Department of Ayush has put up a stall to highlight the medicinal values of honey.

The exhibition will be open from 10 am to 8 pm. The entry is be free. Materials used in apiculture, colonies of honeybees, varieties of honeybees and medicines prepared out of honey are on display. A training programme on scientific apiculture will be held at 10 am on March 13. A training programme on organic farming will be held at 2 pm.

Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim and Zilla Panchayat CEO P I Sreevidya were present.