Our Bureau

Kochi, Sept. 4 Increasing yield and growing resistance to pest attack coupled with lesser water usage have generated enthusiasm among a group of farmers of Vadakkencherry in Palakkad, who switched over to organic paddy cultivation last year.

This jubilant mood among the farmers was evident at the Vadakkencharry Padasekharam, comprising a group of 40 farmers, as their second organic paddy harvest festival began in a 75 acre farm land, which had effortlessly secured ‘C-1’, the first stage certification by Indocert, the Indian Organic Certification Agency.

The harvest festival was jointly organised by the Vadakkencherry Grama Panchayat and the State Agriculture Department, in tune with the Kerala Government’s organic policy, and supported by the POABS Group with technical assistance. POABS also offered a buyback scheme that ensured a premium price to growers.

The group has targeted to bring at least 500 acres under organic paddy cultivation in Kerala in a phased manner, Mr Joseph Jacob, POABS Group Director, said. Propagation of large-scale organic paddy cultivation in the State is part of the efforts of the company to ensure a buffer zone to support its policy of organic product exports to the world market, he said.

The harvest festival, inaugurated by Alathur MLA, Mr M Chandran, was attended by the Palakkad Principal Agriculture Officer, Mr A.K. Sivanandan, and Prof K.E. Usha of the Agriculture University, Mannuthy.

The POABS Group has offered a price of Rs 12.50 a kg to farmers, which is 25 per cent above the market price.

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