Mysore bio-centre to boost horticulture produce

Deputy Director of Horticulture Nagaraj told Deccan Herald that the Centre will be established at an estimated cost of Rs six crore. Apart from Mysore, the project has been approved for the current year under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) in Shimoga and Belgaum districts, expected to be a reality in the next two years, with tender process underway.

The State already has a Bio-centre at Hulimavu in Bangalore. The Centre will house a tissue culture laboratory, besides a bio-fertiliser production unit and a training centre. The laboratory will give impetus to the growth of disease-free banana saplings. The saplings will be grown and sold to farmers at a reasonable rate. The Centre in Bangalore has been growing saplings of ‘pachbaale’ (Cavendish), besides ‘putbaale’.

Nagaraj said a standardisation to grow the saplings in tissue culture method akin to cloning has been fixed. Most of the countries produce banana saplings only, besides coffee and cardamom. The lab will also help in analysing the soil and water quality, he added.

The bio-fertiliser unit may benefit organic farmers. It is produced using micro-organisms which are also non-hazardous to health. A training wing at the centre will hone the skills of farmers, aiding them with related knowledge.

In Mysore district, there are 40,000 farmers involved in horticulture produce on 55,000 hectares of land. Going by the increasing number of farmers taking up horticulture produce when compared to five years ago, the Centre will certainly benefit the community, says the officer.