The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Develop new tapioca varieties: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 19, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Develop new tapioca varieties: Minister

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE, AUG. 18. New varieties of tapioca, yielding higher levels of starch, should be developed to help farmers in the State, the Agriculture Minister, K. Pandurangan, said here on Monday.

At an interactive meet with scientists at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Mr. Pandurangan said five lakh farmers cultivated tapioca in ten districts, providing livelihood to nearly 60,000 labourers. There were about 700 tapioca units.

However, the starch content of the varieties grown ranged between 18 and 20 per cent, compared to that of Thailand where the content was 30-35 per cent.

Supply did not meet the demand, resulting in starch being imported. He said the demand for tissue culture banana was going up, indicating its popularity with farmers. To meet the present demand, the State department of Horticulture should collaborate with the TNAU to supply the required number of plants to farmers. The department should place an indent with the university at least eight months in advance.

Farmers needed high-yielding and drought-tolerant rice varieties, and technology used on the farm should suit the rainfall pattern, soil type and temperature in each of the seven agro-climatic zones.

Mr. Pandurangan said seeds distributed by private firms and dealers should be properly certified, so that farmers did not run the risk of using spurious seeds. Subsidy schemes could encourage the use of organic fertilizers and biological pest and disease control.

Stating that the majority of farmers were unaware of soil testing facilities, he said awareness campaigns in villages, through mobile soil testing laboratories, could underscore the importance of scientific farm practices.

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