President opens India's biggest ever farm exposition
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Nagpur, February 09 2014:
Krishi Vasant, the biggest ever farm exposition so far, was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee in a glittering ceremony held at Central Cotton Research Institute, Nagpur in Maharashtra today.
The exposition is being organized jointly by the Government of India and Government of Maharashtra along with CII, the strategic partner representing Indian industry.
More than 220 farmers from the State led by Agriculture Minister Md Abdul Nasir and Director of State Agricultural Management & Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) Mayanglambam Gojendro are taking part in the exposition.
While addressing the gathering of the inaugural ceremony, President Pranab Mukherjee lauded the 'new dimension and new direction' provided to Indian farming in the last ten years, which has seen the country achieving food security and becoming a top exporter of food grains.
In this period, special initiatives taken for increasing food grain production in the eastern part of the country, production of pulses and oilseeds and provision of credit to farmers have resulted in second agricultural revolution in the country, he said.
The country is likely to achieve record 263.2 million tonne food grain production this year.
This would be about 4 million tonne higher than the record of 259 million tonnes achieved two years ago, said Union Agriculture and Food Processing Minister Sharad Pawar while addressing the national agricultural exposition.
Sharad Pawar also informed that the country has now become the top exporter of rice and second top exporter of wheat and cotton.
India also is the top producer of milk and horticultural crops.
Union Agriculture Minister further said that special trains have been put into service to bring farmers to the event.
The exhibits include farm machinery, new crop and animal varieties and breeds, advances in the sphere of farm research, and best practices for application of inputs such as fertilisers and seeds.
Governor of Maharashtra K.Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Agriculture Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and agriculture ministers from other states were also present on the occasion.
Krishi Vasant also showcases the history of agricultural research accomplished in last the 100 years by ICAR.
Farmers' conferences and farmer-scientist interactions are being organized at special pavilion on various themes.
As nearly five lakh farmers are expected to visit the event � including from other states � seminars, interaction sessions and information are being arranged in English, Marathi and Hindi.
Three hundred live demonstration plots of cereals, pulses, fodder, oilseeds, vegetables and cotton have also been put up.
Best quality animals, poultry and fish are also on display in the exposition.
Meanwhile, talking to a group of media persons from the State, Agriculture Minister Md Nasir said that the exposition would give an impetus to the State farmers to enhance agricultural productivity to boost the State's economy.
The participants from the State would also learn the technical knowhow of modern agriculture from the scientists and experts taking part in this exposition, he added.
Notably, the events of this biggest farm exposition are being webcast to the farmers at all district headquarters of the State.