Horticultural crops help in empowering the farmers financially in rural areas, said M R Dinesh, Director of Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hesaraghatta.
He was speaking during a field demonstration and the interaction of scientists with the farmers, organised jointly by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research and Central Horticultural Experiment Station in Chettalli.
“By bringing in a diversity of horticultural crops, and focusing on value addition of the crops, the farmers can double their income,” he added.
“Using the horticulture crops, youth and farmers can come out as successful entrepreneurs,” he said.
The growers should select the horticultural crops depending on the weather condition of the region and emphasise natural farming, said M R Dinesh.
“In the past, growers were earning income from orange. Now, owing to various reasons, oranges have disappeared from the plantations,” he added.
University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, former vice chancellor Prof P G Chengappa called upon the farmers to give priority to the crops that are suitable for the prevailing marketing condition.
Without having knowledge of the crops, one cannot achieve success, he said.
Small and marginal farmers have been suffering. The farmers should cultivate the crops scientifically. One should take precautions and utmost care while marketing the produce, he advised.
“There has been a rise in the number of people consuming fruits in the recent past. Farmers have failed in marketing their crops,” he felt.
Coffee Board former vice president Bose Mandanna said that Central Horticultural Experiment Station has been developing varieties of fruits and vegetables.
‘Thingala huruli,’ ‘kallangadi,’ lychee, meter alasande, brinjal and others were the centre of attraction at the horticultural mela.
Shankaramurthy of Shivamogga and Venkatesh of Periyapattana, who had successfully cultivated ‘Madahagala’, were felicitated on the occasion.