Bangalore, JAN,2; The state government has laid special emphasis on organic farming and in the next one year, Karnataka should rank first in the whole country in terms of cereal production and export activity. Agriculture Minister Cheluvaraya Swamy said that our aim is to increase the export volume by two to three times.
Addressing an exporters’ conference on “Exploration of Global Market for Cereals and its Value Added Products” on the sidelines of the International Cereal Trade Fair to be held at the Palace Grounds for three days from January 5, the Minister said that for the first time in 2017, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government had held an international conference with greater emphasis on Cereals.
Later, he said, as a result of thinking about alternative cropping systems in the wake of drought, a revised policy was brought out for the first time in 2017. The state government has been promoting conventionally and organically grown cereals as “reputable food”.
An incentive of Rs.10,000 per hectare is being given and steps will be taken to increase this amount in the coming days. By the next year, the export volume should be doubled, tripled. Our aim is to make Karnataka the number one in export and production. Exporters will be provided with all kinds of assistance by Cafec. Less water, less effort to grow. Five stars now. He said that cereal food is also available in seven star hotels.
Special Secretary, Department of Food Processing and Harvesting Technology, Rohini Sindhuri said that the export activity is an emerging sector and India’s food processing sector has grown by 26 per cent. Karnataka has ten agro climatic zones with six types of soil types. The state is the 6th largest exporting state. she said that special attention has been paid to export of cereals. Later, minister Cheluvaraya Swamy gave information about the specialty of cereal in a press conference, currently, cereal is grown in 15.61 lakh hectares in the state. Agricultural Produce Processing and Export Corporation Limited (KPEC) is the nodal organization for the Cereal Mela. International research institute GIZ and IIMR are also partner organizations and ICCOA is the partner organization for the exhibition, he said.
Exhibition: Organic and Cereals Organizations, Marketers, Exporters, Retailers, Farmers Groups, Provincial Unions, Organic Accessories Organizations, State and Central Government Departments and Organizations are participating in the exhibition. States like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya are participating in the fair. He said there will be more than 250 stalls in the exhibition.
At the Karnataka Pavilion, Karnataka’s innovators, encouraged by Karnataka’s cereal and organic product companies, will showcase their products. A total of 100 stores have been opened including cereals, organic farmer groups, provincial unions, as well as state and central government departments and institutions. Consultative meetings of producers, marketers are arranged. said that.
A three-day workshop in Kannada language for organic and cereal farmers was organized by the Research Department of K.V.V. He said that the public has been provided an opportunity to taste diverse and delicious cereal meals and breakfasts through the outlets of 10 different cereal hotels and restaurants.
The state is leading in the country in the production of Midi-South, Rose, Onion and Coffee. He said the state has significant potential to export several agricultural and horticultural products including cereals, pomegranate, black pepper, turmeric, chilli, green chilli, mango, banana, jaggery, groundnut, raisins, GI products, processed foods, vegetables. Commissioner of Agriculture N.Y. Patil. Secretary Anbu Kumar, Director of Agriculture Department Dr. GT Son and others were present.