Farmer’s meet, Inputs distribution and Monitoring of NEH component programme organized by ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi in Tripura

28^th March 2023, Tripura

One-day Farmers’ Meet-cum-Input Distribution Programme’ was organized by ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi in collaboration with the College of Agriculture Tripura today under the promotional activities of Vegetables in NEH region.

Dr. T. K. Behera, Director, ICAR-IIVR, said linking of FPOs, Farmer Clubs, and KVKs of all the districts in producing and marketing quality vegetable seeds supplied from ICAR-IIVR so that the farmers don’t have to depend on the supply of seeds from out sources and are able to procure the same seeds from the state itself. He also emphasized harboring an entrepreneurial spirit among farmers to become self-sufficient in terms of income.

In the said programme, 200 numbers of pheromone traps, sticky traps and vegetable seeds and kitchen garden packets as “Farmers kits” were distributed among the farmers.

A Technology Showcasing session by FPO, Farmers' Club & College of Agriculture, Tripura was inaugurated at the end of the Farmers' Meet.

The Monitoring team visited the field of Shri Bimal Singha at Brahmanpushkuruni, Mohanpur under the FPO Ujjayanta Agro Fed Farmer Producer Cooperative. He has been supplied Okra seeds (Kashi Chaman) from ICAR-IIVR from the last two years. Since then, his cost of cultivation has reduced by ₹ 15,000/- which is about 40% less as compared to his initial investment cost. Shri Singha’s net income at present is ₹ 4, 37,500/hectare, which is a substantial improvement. The quality of the seed Okra var. Kashi Chaman is such that use of pesticides is reduced for Yellow Vein Mosaic Virus and Enation Leaf Curl Virus.

Another farmer named Shri Buddheswar Deb Barma, Brahmanpushkuruni, Mohanpur under the FPO Ujjayanta Agro Fed Farmer Producer Cooperative has implemented the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in his farm area for management of Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer. Earlier, he had to spray insecticides for the pest every alternate day. But with the incorporation of IPM principles, the frequency of pesticide use has reduced and Shri Buddheswar has been able to save at least Rs 10,000/ by adopting such management practices.

(Source: ICAR- Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi)