Wayanad: From April, Wayanad Will House Centre Of Excellence For Vegetables And Floriculture

A centre of excellence for vegetables and floriculture is being established in Ambalavayal, Wayanad, to promote olericulture and floriculture in the state.

The State Horticulture Mission (SHM) is establishing the centre as a demonstration-cum-training centre in collaboration with the Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) and the Agriculture department. It will be commissioned in April as part of the National Action Plan of the Indo-Dutch Cooperation Project, according to K. Ajith Kumar, Associate Director, RARS, Ambalavayal.

The centre, the first of its kind in the state, is being built on eight hectares of RARS land for Rs 13 crore.

Farmers will be trained on how to increase crop productivity at the lowest possible cost, reduce the need for water and other inputs, significantly reduce post-harvest losses, and use the most up-to-date pest management techniques, he says.

The project's major technological interventions include the establishment of separate demonstration centres for commercial vegetable cultivation, cut flower production, open precision farming for cultivation and seed production in seasonal flowers and vegetables, a hi-tech seedling production centre, a post-harvest technology centre, a training centre for hi-tech production of vegetables and flowers, and market intelligence dissemination.

The centre will also serve as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) by bringing in officials from the Agriculture Department and Kerala Agricultural University on deputation.

The entire production is scheduled to take place in five Dutch-style poly houses, four Indian-style poly houses, and four planting material production units. Four shade net houses, a post-harvest handling unit, a fertigation unit, a common facility centre, a training centre, a trainees hostel, an auction centre, and an open precision farming unit will also be built.

Dr. Kumar explained that because the Netherlands is a pioneer in developing the most effective technology in the horticulture and floriculture sectors, the project intends to use its expertise in project implementation.

Source: The Hindu

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