A team of scientists and officers of Spices Board will visit 34 cardamom-growing villages in Idukki to sensitize farmers on the need for adopting better pest control measures and judicious use of pesticides in farming.

The initiative is part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) awareness campaign aimed at production of quality cardamom. The campaigns will be conducted from August 18 to 22 and September 1 to 5.

The Board has constituted seven teams of scientists and officers for the programme, which will be conducted in four to five locations in each village. It will focus on adoption of IPM technologies, namely cultural, physical, biological methods and need-based judicious use of pesticides in cardamom plantations. 

IPM involves a combination of measures to ensure effective pest management without disturbing the ecosystem, reducing environmental pollution and eliminating direct and indirect health hazards to human beings.

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