The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Five agri-clinics inaugurated

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Monday, Oct 05, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Five agri-clinics inaugurated

Staff Reporter

Under a national agriculture programme in Ariyalur

Farmer-friendly: T. Abraham, Collector, giving away agricultural implement to a farmer at Thathanur village in Ariyalur district.

ARIYALUR: Five agri-clinics sanctioned under the Centrally-sponsored National Agriculture Development Programme were inaugurated in the district recently. The clinics, each established on an outlay of Rs.6 lakh, including a subsidy of Rs.3 lakh, will serve as guidance-cum-counselling centres for stepping up agricultural productivity in the district.

The focus will be on conducting soil test for analysing the shortage/excess of nutrients. The clinics will also guide the farmers to select the right field-specific fertilizer for increasing agricultural productivity.

Housed on the campuses of the Primary Agricultural Co-operative Credit Societies, the clinics are located in Sendurai (Sendurai block); Thathanur (Jayamkondam); T. Pazhur (T. Pazhur); Ilaiyur (Andimadam) and Keezh Kavattankurichi (Tirumanur block).

Speaking after inaugurating the agri-clinic at Thathanur, Collector T. Abraham underlined the importance of soil-testing as a pre-requisite for crop protection strategy and thereby minimising cultivation cost.

The scientists and experts at the clinics would guide the farmers in ascertaining the nutrient content of the fields.

Regional Joint Registrar of Co-operative Societies T. Ramani Devi, in her address, said that a large number of farmers visited the primary agricultural banks.

The location of agri-clinics on the premises of the banks would go a long way in attracting farmers to a great extent.The Joint Director of Agriculture, S. Sivakumar, said that in addition to these five clinics, the sixth clinic had been started through a private venture in Ariyalur. He advised the farmers to shun their inhibitions in seeking soil-related clarifications from the scientists at the clinics.

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