'Need to bring innovation in farming sector'

Use of farm machinery will not only improve farming but also empower farmers, Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said.

He was speaking at fourth edition of ‘Krishi Yantra Mela -2019,’ held at Puttur on Saturday.

The Dream Home and Dairy Farming exhibitions were also part of the mela, organised jointly by Campco, Vivekananda College of Engineering and Technology, Vivekananda Polytechnic, Puttur and Dakshina Kannada Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union.

“The district is known for its horticultural crops. However, the farmers are facing acute shortage of labourers. Using the Skill Development programme of the government, there is a need to bring innovation in farming sector.”

He said to conserve and develop indigenous bovine breeds, the NDA government has launched ‘Rashtriya Gokul Mission,’ thereby giving thrust on dairy farming. To give priority to fishing along with agriculture, the Union government has announced a separate ministry for fishing in the budget. The government also plans to provide cold storage facilities in each taluk, to benefit the farmers.

DKMUL President Raviraj Hegde said the DKMUL proposes to modernise its cold storage unit at Puttur at a cost of Rs 12 crore and also its camp office at a cost of Rs 5 crore next year.

“Marketing the milk is a challenge before the DKMUL. Hence, the attempts are being made to sell milk products.

Vivekananda Vidyavardhaka Sangha President Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat stressed the need for organic farming along with promoting dairy farming. “The organic farming helps in improving the fertility of the soil.”

Campco President S R Sathishchandra and others were present.

A silver chain made using arecanut by Muliya Jewels was an attraction at the Krishi Yantra Mela. The exhibition included drone sprayers, carbon fibre sprayers, latest machines used in dairy farming, a model low-cost cow shed and drip irrigation equipment.

There was a model of low-cost house with two-bed rooms with a plinth area of 600 sq ft. It was built using pre-cast materials at a cost of about Rs 6 lakh. Apart from farm implements, there were stalls related to automobiles, nurseries, seeds, food, building materials, house construction, and other materials.

Seminars on backyard farming, value addition in farming, farming as a profession, profitability in dairy farming and low-cost housing will be held as a part of Krishi Yantra Mela -2019 for the next two- days.