Vinay Kumar Sorake, Urban Development Minister, said on Friday that farmers should cultivate intercrops such as pepper and cocoa to maximise their profits.
He was speaking after inaugurating the Black Pepper Growers Association to develop a black pepper cluster under the Integrated Horticulture Development Programme by Department of Horticulture, here.
Mr. Sorake said that when chief crops such as paddy yielded poor returns, intercrops such as pepper acted as a buffer and saved the farmers. Some time ago, rubber growers were affected by fluctuation in the prices of rubber. In Kerala, however, the government came to the rescue of rubber farmers by holding talks with tyre companies to purchase good quality rubber from the farmers. In addition, rubber was also used in the construction of roads.
When the price of coconut crashed a few years ago, farmers and people in the coastal districts of Kerala switched to tender coconut water from aerated beverages. This helped coconut growers. “Such progressive thinking, which helps the farmers, is also required in our State,” Mr. Sorake said.
There are 73 lakh farmers in the State. Sugarcane growers formed about five lakh among them, but their problems got highlighted all the time to the detriment of growers of other crops, the Minister said. This was because the sugarcane growers were well organised.
“It is essential for other farmers to become organised and put forth their demands to the government,” Mr. Sorake said.Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/grow-intercrops-for-better-profits/article6730132.ece
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