The Hindu Business Line : 4-day Krishi Mela from today

Bangalore, Nov. 18 The University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore, will organise a four-day ‘Krishi Mela’ from Thursday (November 19-22) on its campus and will focus on agricultural machinery and organic farming.

The show would serve as a platform for various stakeholders in farming, including organic farmers, seed companies, financial institutions, research organisations and traders to display their services and products. The State Governor, Mr H. R. Bharadwaj, would inaugurate the event.

Addressing presspersons here, the UAS Vice-Chancellor, Mr P. G. Chengappa, said that self-help groups, pesticides and fertiliser, farm technology companies, financial institutions and farmers from 17 districts coming under the jurisdiction of UAS-Bangalore would install over 600 stalls during the mela. The event is expected to generate Rs 4 crore business. A separate consultancy cell would be set up to give spot solutions to the problems of the farmers.

The university is expecting more than four lakh visitors . The objective would be to create awareness among farmers about the latest farm technologies and services. One progressive man and woman farmer from each district would be felicitated at the event.

The university would showcase the recently released BI 33 aerobic paddy variety, high yielding ragi varieties of GPU – 66 and KMR – 301, soyabean - Karune variety, and seedless pomello with deep pink pulp – Veda during the mela. It would feature an exhibition on farm machinery and crop harvesting technologies. Biotechnology companies and firms offering services in agriculture and allied fields such as agri-marketing information, eco-informatics, early warning systems, bio-informatics, weather forecasting, management of coconut mites, and precision farming would take part in the event.

The ‘Krishi Mela’ would showcase the recent developments, trends and achievements in the field of organic farming. A large number of organic farmers are expected to display their products. Thirty stalls would be set up on dairy, poultry, aquaculture, sheep, goat and rabbit rearing would participate, Mr Chengappa said.