The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Harithasree facing hurdles

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Friday, Jun 06, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Harithasree facing hurdles

N.J.Nair

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Intra-departmental differences are likely to disrupt Harithasree, a scheme envisaged by the Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam district panchayats for empowering farmers through organic farming of vegetables.

The scheme, which was proposed to be implemented by Kudumbasree workers, was intended to be replicated all over the State after gauging its impact in the two districts.

An action plan drawn up to start organic farming of vegetables for Rs.10.5 crore in 36 suburban grama panchayats in Thiruvananthapuram and Rs.7 crore in 26 panchayats in Ernakulam was cleared by the respective district planning committees.

Headed by the district panchayats, the scheme had the active support and involvement of the block and grama panchayats as well as the Kudumbasree Mission.

It was decided to give high-yielding seeds, bio-fertilizers and technical support and training to the farmers so that they would not have any impediments in getting good yield. An impeccable collection and marketing system was the highlight of the scheme.

Harithasree had the objective of empowering farmers to face the competition of monopoly and multinational companies which had entered the retail market in a big way.

As per the scheme, Kudumbasree activists would procure the vegetables directly from the field and supply them at the collection centres. The stock would be brought to the cities twice a week and sold through the Kudumbasree outlets.

Considering the demand for organic vegetables, the scheme was expected to provide an assured market and reasonable returns to the farmers. In the absence of an efficient marketing mechanism, farmers were finding it difficult to sell their produce. Most of them were afraid of making substantial investment out of the fear that they would not get the returns on time.

Official sources told The Hindu that Agriculture Department officials in the State-level Technical Advisory Group were reported to have cold-shouldered the scheme on the ground that it was against the subsidy norms laid by the department.

Some of them were understood to have suggested providing subsidy to the farmers for growing vegetables.

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