Speakers at Agri Intex 2013 urged the entrepreneurs here to develop farm implements suited for the Indian farmer with small land holdings.
“Paucity of agricultural labour coupled with small and fragmented land holdings is making agriculture a difficult proposition today. It is the duty of every citizen to make the farming community sustainable, if not rich,” said the Agriculture Production Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Government of Tamil Nadu Sandeep Saxena.
Agri expo
Speaking at the 13th edition of Agri Intex 2013, an agri expo organised by the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (Codissia) in association with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University at the Codissia Trade Fair Complex, Saxena stressed the need for making farm equipments for the farmer with small land holding. “Entrepreneurs here are capable of making such machineries,” he added.
Highlighting the importance of agriculture and the State’s commitment to a second green revolution, he said “this will be possible only if appropriate technologies are introduced and adopted by the farmers.”
The State Government would soon come out with a policy statement to address the issues of the farmers, said the Agriculture Production Commissioner.
Labour shortage
Stressing the importance of farm implements in agriculture, Tamil Nadu Minister for Agriculture S. Damodaran said “shortage of agricultural labour is a matter of concern. Studies show that there are 82 million farm families in India, but only around 36 lakh tractors in use. There is a felt need for farm mechanisation.”
Transfer of technologies and innovations from lab to land is not happening for want of small changes, corrections and suitability, the Minister observed.
Director of Agriculture, M. Rajendran said the State Government has, for the first time, initiated measures to test soil, to understand the fertility and advice farmers appropriately.
Farm mechanisation
While on the subject of farm mechanisation, the Farm Varsity Vice-Chancellor K. Ramasamy did not fail to drive home the need for strengthening the production of small millets.