AgTech Innovation News

COIMBATORE: The Minister for Housing and Urban Development, R Vaithilingam was speaking at the inauguration of the International Agricultural Conference held as part of the AGRI INTEX-2015 organised by the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA) at Codissia Trade Fair Complex, at Avinashi Road here, on Saturday.

He opined that providing agricultural equipment, seeds and other allied material, is also a part of the mission to resurrect the agricultural sector. The government could convert thousands of acres of barren land into productive ones with the help of farmers. “All these indicate the government’s concern for the agricultural sector. In 2012-13, there was an agricultural production of one lakh metric tons. In 2013-14, it was 1.15 lakh metric tons and we aimed to make it 1.70 lakh metric tons in the years to come. The State government has allocated a good amount for the overall development of agriculture as part of its ‘Vision-2023 Programme’,” said Vaithilingam.

An exhibition of various agricultural products, innovative technologies, etc., has also been in place as part of the programme. The four-day AGRI INTEX-2015 will last till July 20.

SP Velumani, Minister for Municipal Administration, Pollachi V Jayaraman, Deputy Speaker Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Ganapathy P Rajkumar, Mayor of Coimbatore Corporation, were the chief guests at the ceremony. K Ramasamy, Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, presided over the ceremony.

The event is supported by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research, New Delhi, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science University, Tamil Nadu Fisheries University, Sugarcane Breeding Institute, All India Agricultural Implements Manufacturers Association and Progressive Dairy Farmers Association.

Countries like Italy, Israel, Japan, France and Germany participated in the event. The visiting time for the event starts at 10 am and ends by 6 pm. As many as 300 participants were there for the event, and a total of one lakh visitors are expected to be arrived at the venue.

The event has given special focus on solar pumping, micro-irrigation, precision-farming, farm mechanization, soil-less agriculture, post-harvest technology, agro-marketing, animal husbandry, etc.

Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com