Category Archives: Agriculture

Centre plans boost for cardamom biz

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Science & Technology

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar reviews the functioning of Cardamom Research Centre in Madikeri, Karnataka

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today reviewed the functioning of Cardamom Research Centre in Madikeri in Karnataka.

Pawar, who is on a two-day tour of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-affliated institutes in Karnataka, is scheduled to return to Delhi on Saturday.

On Sunday last, Pawar had taken ill at a public function near Sangli in Maharashtra and had to be air-lifted to Pune. “He is fine now and travelling,” a close aide of Pawar said.

Cardamom Research Centre, Appangala, is located in Hervanadu village of Madikeri Taluk, Kodagu, Karnataka on the Madikeri- Bhagamandala Road, 8 km from Madikeri, in an area of 17.4 ha. The CRC Appangala is the only ICAR Research Centre working on cardamom, has been playing an important role in conducting research on cardamom and cardamom-based cropping systems, for increasing cardamom productivity.

During 2012, the centre celebrated its 50th anniversary and has been working closely with many stakeholders for development of the crop.

“I recall with nostalgia the day the centre was handed over to us in 1986 with “Queen of Spices” as the mandate crop. The release of the first IISR cardamom variety ‘Kodagu Suvasini’ in 1997 followed by ‘IISR Avinash’ and ‘IISR Vijetha’ in 2001 was a watershed in CRCs research agenda.

Subsequent research endeavours included our commitment to deliver technologies for sustainable use and evolve varieties tolerant to pests and diseases, climate change, drought etc not only for cardamom but also for black pepper. The technology to get sustainable production of black pepper despite delayed monsoon is well-accepted and appreciated by planters of this region.

Germplasm collection and conservation has always been our forte and the CRC now has in its fold around 436 accessions of cardamom, making it one of the largest germplasm collections in the world besides being the National Active Germplasm Site (NAGS),” M Anandaraj, Director, Indian Institute of Spices Research Said recently.

source: http://www.Business-Standard.com / Home> Markets> Commodities> Foods & Edible Oils / Press Trust of India / New Delhi, March 29th, 2013

Karnataka coffee belt gets good blossom showers

Agriculture, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg), Nature

coffeeKF16mar2013
Bright outlook: Ripened coffee berries at a plantation in Karnataka. (a file picture.)

March rains have been well distributed

Bangalore , MARCH 15:
Coffee-growing regions of Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Hassan in Karnataka have received good blossom showers.

“Blossom shower in the coffee belt in Karnataka is very good this year. Very good for Arabica as compared to poor to patchy rains last year,” Bose Mandana, a senior coffee planter from Suntikoppa in Kodagu told Business Line.

MARCH SHOWERS

“Rain in February, especially during mid-harvest, was worrisome, but March shower has been heavy and this has made us comfortable for the next three to four weeks,” he added.

In Kodagu rains have been good in Napoklu zone comprising Murnad, Madikeri and Napoklu whereas Gonikoppal zone, which comprises Virajpet, Gonikoppal, Kutta and Balale, needs additional showers.

For robusta, south Kodagu got early showers in February and now has received moderate March showers.

In Chikmagalur and Hassan districts, March rains have been well distributed. “Due to timely showers and moisture status being good, many planters have begun applying manure in their estates. This year, they have been able to save on irrigation,” said Mandana.

According to Nishant Gurjer, Chairman, Karnataka Planters’ Association and a grower from Chikmagalur said “Early rains in February and subsequent rains in March have been good for overall crop production.”

“Rains in the last two months have been good for robusta. Stressed period for Arabica was cut short and there was initial apprehension among the growers over early rains. But March rains, however, have been beneficial,” he added.

Last crop year (2012-13), the Coffee Board had estimated the post-blossom estimate at 3,25,300 tonnes (arabica 1.04 tonnes and robusta at 2.21 tonnes).

As for the final crop forecast, the Board has estimated 3,15,500 tonnes, of which Arabica is 1,00,225 tonnes and robusta at 2,15,275 tonnes.

anil.u@thehindu.co.in

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Home> Industry> Agri-Biz / by Anil Urs / Bangalore, March 15th, 2013

Govt is committed to provide sites for siteless, says district-in-charge minister

Agriculture, Business & Economy

District in-charge minister M P Appachu Ranjan said the state government is committed to provide sites for the siteless, who have been residing on paisari land for generations.

Speaking to presspersons here on Monday, he said an amendment has been brought to the Land Revenue Rules and has been sent for approval in view of providing facilities for those who have been residing on paisari land. “Once the process is complete, all those who have been residing on paisari land in Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Shimoga and Chikmagalur districts will get sites.

Action

Stringent action will be initiated against those who had regularised paisari land.
However, all those who have encroached upon government lands recently will be evicted,” he said.

Cheque

The minister presented a cheque for Rs 15 lakh, released under CM’s special fund to Madapura Kodava Samaja.

Zilla panchayat member B B Bharathish, BCM department officer Puttaraju, Madapura Kodava Samaja member M A Ponnappa, M C Bopaiah and others were present.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / DHNS, Madikeri / February 20th, 2013

Tribal families to get Anthyodaya card

Agriculture, Records, All, Uncategorized

Deputy commissioner Dr N Prasad has directed the officials to make arrangement for the distribution of Anthyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration card, in the district.

Chairing a meeting here recently he said tribals are residing in a large number at Virajpet and Somwarpet taluks. The tribals are still leading a deplorable condition.

Anthyodaya

Food and civil supplies deputy director Naveed Ahammed said about 5,047 ration cards have been already distributed under Anthyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY). At least 6,000 more AAY ration cards will be distributed shortly.

Social Welfare officer Lakshman J Ganti said that 301 houses which were sanctioned during 2008-09 are under progress. During 2010-11, as many as 350 houses were sanctioned. About 320 beneficiaries have been identified and the proposal has been sent to the ITDP director for approval.

Power

Additional DC Dr N Shivashankar said that electricity connection should be provided to the anganwadi centres. The revenue officials should look into the issue.

Women and child welfare deputy director J P Lingaraju said: “We have already deposited fund to the Chescom to provide electricity connections to the anganwadi centres.”

Assistant commissioner G Prabhu, agriculture department joint director Shivamallu, mines and geology department deputy director Haris and tahsildars were present.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District> Madikeri / DHNS, January 28th, 2013

Drought, a blessing in disguise for Karnataka coffee growers

Agriculture, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)


Harvested Arabica coffee berries drying in sunlight at a plantation.
Bangalore , JAN. 4:
The drought in neighbouring districts has helped Karnataka’s coffee-growing regions get sufficient labour for picking coffee. This is because farming has been affected in the drought-hit areas. Besides, the slowdown in sectors such as mining and constructions has helped. The coffee belt of Kodagu, Hassan and Chikmagalur are getting many more workers from Mysore, Tumkur Chitradurga and Davangere.

“Easier labour availability has made coffee-picking manageable this season. Availability of workers between December and February is crucial for us to pick coffee and this year there is no dearth of labour,” Bose Mandana, a senior coffee planter from Suntikoppa in Kodagu, told Business Line.

“This year, however, since the crop is lower than the original estimate, we may need less labour,” he said.

LOWER WAGES

Due to more workers being available, wages have fallen by Rs 50-100 a day per person. Coffee-growers are paying Rs 200-250 a day, depending on the nature of work.

Labour shortage in the last three years had forced coffee growers to pay workers between Rs 250 and Rs 300 a day.

“In the last two to three years, we had to literally run behind the contractors to get workers. But this year, it is their turn to knock on our doors for estate-related jobs. This season, I am getting 20 to 30 calls per day, asking if I need workers,” said Mandana. Marvin Rodrigues, former Chairman, Karnataka Planters Association (KPA) and a grower from Hassan, said: “This year, we are getting people slightly more easily than the last few years. We are paying around Rs 200-210 for temporary workers.”

Nishant Gurjer, Chairman, KPA, and a grower from Chikmagalur, said: “This year, labour supply is plentiful and people are coming to work on the estates.”

“We are also getting quite a few experienced workers, who had worked in the estates earlier but had moved over to the mining and construction sector. Since these sectors are not doing too well now, they have returned.”

anil.u@thehindu.co.in

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Home> Industry> Agri-Biz / by Anil Urs / Bangalore, January 04th, 2013

Karnataka to expand orange cultivation

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Nature

Bangalore, Jan 03:
Karnataka is planning to expand area under orange cultivation by 50 per cent to 15,000 hectares in five years.

The horticulture department has identified Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Hassan districts for expansion of orange growing area.

“As per the plan prepared by us, about 1,000-hectare addition is planned annually till we achieve sizable production level,” S.V. Hittalmani, Additional Director, Karnataka Horticulture Department, told Business Line.

“Looking at the favourable agro-climatic conditions, the department is planning to expand annually 500 hectares in Kodagu and the rest in Chikmagalur and Hassan districts,” he added.

At present, 10,000 hectares are under orange cultivation, mainly grown as intercrop in coffee estates, though real fruit yield comes only from 5,000 to 6,000 hectares.

“After inclusion of orange under National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in the State seven years ago and also by offering Rs 15,000 per hectares as incentives to growers, we are seeing good quantity of oranges in the market,” said Hittalmani.

“Fairly good yield is being reported from Sidapura and Thitimati in Kodagu. Now we plan to replicate this in other districts where we plan to introduce the crop,” he added.

CURRENT YIELD

Current orange production (2012-13 crop year) in the State is estimated at 50,000 tonnes as against 45,000 tonnes last year (2011-12 crop year).

The department is also planning to give a boost to orange cultivation by encouraging fruit processing units in the growing regions. According to Hitalmani, at present a couple of processing units are operating under cooperative societies in Kushalnagar and Gonikoppa in Kodagu.

Hitalmani said the revival of orange in the State has led to steady demand. “Prices early in the season (November) average around Rs 60 a kg. Then it drops to Rs 45 a kg by the middle of the season (December/January) and later it quotes around Rs 50 to 60 as the season ends (February-March).

ORANGE MELA

As a step forward to develop farmer-centric business model, National Horticulture Board (NHB) and Karnataka Horticulture Department are holding an ‘Orange Mela’ in Bangalore from January 4 to 6, said Jagadeesha KG, Director of Horticulture.

For the mela, farmers from orange producing States such as Maharastra, Punjab, Rajasthan, a few States from North-East, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are taking part.

anil.u@thehindu.co.in

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Home> Industry / by Anil Urs / Bangalore, January 03rd, 2013

Jamma Baane comes under forest : Governor

About Kodagu / Coorg, Agriculture, Business & Economy, Historical Links / Pre-Independence, Nature

‘It is not a revenue land’

Governor H R Bharadwaj has opined that Jamma Baane land comes under forest limits in Kodagu district.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, during his private visit in Madikeri on Monday, he said that Jamma Baane land comes under forest. “People were given the right to use the land. However, it is not a revenue land,” he said.

The Assembly had passed Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Act, with regard to Jamma Baane. However, the Governor had not given assent to the Act.

“As Jamma Baane comes under forest limits, I had sent the Act to the Central government for approval.”

Kodagu district is surrounded by Western Ghats, which is known for its flora and fauna. It is one of the hotspots of the world. There is a need conserve the bio diversity, he said.

Kodagu is a tourists paradise. Several tourists visit the district to enjoy the beauty of nature. There is a need to promote eco-friendly tourism, without harming the nature.

‘Provide facilities’

The Governor said that the government can solve the problems related to Maoists by responding to the needs of the people.

“There is a need to provide basic facilities in the villages. The villagers should be provided with better health care and education. To check the eviction of the forest dwellers, Forest Rights Act has been implemented. MGNREGS and others schemes of the government should be implemented effectively.

Intervention

The Governor said that he has been watching closely into the political development in the State. “I will intervene, if there was any constitutional crisis in the State.

The development is internal issue of the BJP. I can not intervene now,” he said and added “the government should function as per the constitution.”

Deputy Commissioner Dr N V Prasad, SP Manjunath Annigeri, Additional DC N Shivashankar, CMC Commissioner N M Shashikumar and others were present.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Madikeri, DHNS / November 13th, 2012

Tribals empowered to collect minor forest produces: Rameshwar Oraon

About Kodagu / Coorg, Agriculture, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature


Rameshwar Oraon, Chairperson, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, addressing tribals at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan in Hunsur yesterday, accompanied by other members of the Commission. Pictures centre and right show the tribal dances performed to welcome the Central team.

Mysore, Nov. 9 (RK&RNN)
Tribal people have every right to collect and sell Minor Forest Produces (MFP) and no one could interfere with this, observed Rameshwar Oraon, Chairperson, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

Addressing members of the tribal community at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan in Hunsur after visiting several Haadis in H.D. Kote taluk of Mysore district yesterday, he said the Union Government was taking steps to fix a minimum price for the MFP to avoid exploitation from middle men.

He also added that The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 made all tribal people living in the forest eligible for title deeds of their lands and urged Adivasis to take benefits due to them.

He also elicited the opinion of tribal people and others who participated in the meeting on whether they were getting the benefits given by the Centre.

Stating that the tribals would be given compensation four times higher than the existing value of the land if the same was acquired for any government purpose, Oraon added that the Centre was planning to bring legislation in this regard.

Many of those present complained that they were denied benefits like schools, angan-wadi centres, drinking water and ration under the Public Distribution System (PDS) to which Oraon replied that he would take up the issue with the State Chief Secretary at a meeting scheduled to be held today and added that he would also discuss it with Deputy Commissioner and CEO of Mysore Zilla Panchayat.

Food security to tribals

It is reported that Rameshwar Oraon has directed the District Administration to provide food security to tribals and adivasis living in the periphery of forests through Fair Price shops and also urged the District Administration to provide them alternative land for agriculture.

Stressing for education to tri-bal children at Ashraya Schools from first to seventh standards, Oraon instructed ADGP Chikkanur to withdraw false cases filed against tribals and also called for making arrangements for selling of products manufactured by tribals through Lamp Societies at good prices.

He directed early completion of probe into the missing cases of Jiyamballi Raju and Hunsekoppa Bheemasena besides ensuring avoidance of harassment of tribals by forest officials.

A traditional welcome was accorded to the visiting team by tribals who performed folk dan-ces following which Prasanna, Convenor of South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM) and Vaddaragudi Chikkanna gave a presentation of problems being faced by tribals.

The team consisting of Rameshwar Oraon, Commission members Kamala Kumari, B.L. Meena, Jt. Secretary Aditya Mishra, Dy. Director K.D.Bansar, SC/ST Regional Office (Bhopal) Asst. Director R.K.Dubey and others who arrived from Bangalore in the morning drove straight to Morarji Desai School Hostel in Hunsur for an inspection.

Dy. Commissioner P.S. Vastrad, ZP CEO Dr. Ajai Nagabhushan, SP R.Dileep, MLAs Chikkanna and Manjunath, Asst. Commissioners, Tahasil dars and other officials provided necessary information to the team.

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / Home> General News / November 09th, 2012

MNREGA, panacea for coffee plantations?

Agriculture, Coffee News, Coffee, Kodagu (Coorg)


Extra hands needed: Shortage of quality labour has affected coffee plantations in the State. File photo: Sampath Kumar G.P. / The Hindu
Parliamentary panel recommends extending job scheme to overcome labour shortage

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce has recommended extension of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) to plantations to overcome labour shortage in the sector, particularly in Karnataka.

The 31-member panel, headed by Shanta Kumar, in its report titled ‘Performance of Plantation Sector – Tea and Coffee Industry’, suggested to the Union Commerce Ministry to extend the job scheme to coffee plantations to take up various works such as construction of water tanks, groundwater and soil management.

Coffee is a highly labour-intensive crop requiring about 400 man days per hectare per year for Arabica and 300 man days per hectare per year for Robusta.

The panel said, “There has been a serious shortage of workers in plantation areas due to employment opportunities generated by MNREGA and due to migration of work

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Nagesh Prabhu / Bangalore, October 11th, 2012

Tribals will not be evicted from sacred groves: Minister

About Kodagu / Coorg, Agriculture, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nature

‘Hobli-level janasamparka meeting likely to be extended to State’

Hundreds of people thronged to the Janasamparka meeting held at Kutta Kodava Samaja on Saturday, seeking solution for their various problems.

The people found solution to the problems related to delay in distribution of ration cards, Sandhya suraksha yojana, pension for senior citizens, honorarium for widow and so on.
Speaking after inaugurating, District-in-Charge Minister M P Appachu Ranjan said that the government wants to reach out the programmes to the beneficiaries.

The Minister said that ‘sacred groves will be conserved. There was a need to provide basic facilities. In the name of conserving sacred groves, tribals will not be evicted.”
Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa is planning to extend the model hobli-level janasamparka meeting to the entire state.

“Janasamparka is nothing but taking the government to the people,” he said.
Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah flayed the forest department officials for preventing the forest dwellers of Devamacchi forest from offering pooja in the temples.

The Forest Rights Act provides an opportunity for the forest dwellers to lead a comfortable life. Pseudo environmentalists are responsible for fire in Nagarahole reserve forest.

By propagating false rumours, they are engaged in getting funds from foreign countries. “Forest is house for the forest dwellers. They will not engage in setting fire on the forest. The forest has been conserved by the dwellers and not by the pseudo environmentalists.”

Various schemes were distributed among 3,440 beneficiaries on the occasion. This includes Sandhya Suraksha scheme, pension for widow and physically challenged, natural calamity relief fund, Bhagyalakshmi bond, fodder kit, ration cards, nutrition food for the tribals, financial assistance for the students, housing schemes and so on.

Cheques were distributed to 1,796 families under natural calamity relief fund.
Zilla Panchayat Vice-President H M Kaveri, Additional DC Dr N Shivashankar, SP Manjunath Annigeri, ZP CEO K B Anjanappa and others were present.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / DH News Service / Madikeri, September 30th, 2012