750 acres to be cultivated under horticulture mission’s pilot project
Kerala State Horticultural Mission has drawn up a project to cultivate strawberry in Munnar.
The verdant hills of Munnar could soon be sporting a new colour as about 3,500 farmers prepare to take up commercial cultivation of strawberry as a high-value crop.
The Kerala State Horticultural Mission (KSHM) has drawn up a pilot project to cultivate strawberry in 750 acres. Minister for Agriculture K.P. Mohanan told The Hindu that the project would be taken up under the hi-tech farming scheme announced in the budget. He said farmers were expected to earn better returns by diversifying into the high-value crop.
“The initiative is being launched in Idukki because the cold climate offers the most conducive environment for the crop. We have plans to extend the project to other parts of the State soon by providing mist irrigation facility.” A few planters in Nelliampathy ha already experimented with strawberry and found it successful.
Director, KSHM, K. Prathapan said the Rs.6-crore project was designed to provide value addition and market linkage for farmers.
Horticorp would procure the strawberry from farmers and Kudumbasree units would take up processing of fresh fruit. KSHM had identified a team of women to be sent to the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, for training in fruit processing.
The Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) would organise the farmers into societies.
Cold storage revived
The Minister said the cold storage set up by Horticorp at Munnar 11 years ago had been revived for the project under a proposal to establish a State-wide cold chain. The unprocessed fruits will be transported to Kochi in refrigerated trucks and sold through shopping malls. Mr. Mohanan said the strawberry would be sold under the ‘Safe to Eat’ brand.
Planting is expected to commence by the first week of September. Planting materials will be procured from accredited nurseries in north India. KSHM has also prepared another scheme to promote homestead cultivation of low chill fruits such as apple, pear, plum, and peach, which are ideal for farming in mild winter regions.
The project will be taken up in Vattavada, Kanthalloor, and Munnar, under plans to convert Idukki into a fruit belt. As many as 10 saplings will be provided to each household.
Source: The Hindu, July 23rd, 2012