Farmers throng agriculture fair

FARMERS IN large numbers visited the Western Region Agriculture Fair and Exhibition-07 on the second day of the three-day exhibition on Friday and attended various lecture sessions on farming and also saw farming implements and equipments.

FARMERS IN large numbers visited the Western Region Agriculture Fair and Exhibition-07 on the second day of the three-day exhibition on Friday and attended various lecture sessions on farming and also saw farming implements and equipments.

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Various types of machinery and farming implements have been showcased in the fair at National Research Centre for Soybean (NRCS), Khandwa Road to woo farmers from four states and two union territories.

Apart from John Deere, New Holland and other tractors of that class, a special attraction is the latest Mahindra ‘Shan’ that changes the very notion of tractors. The mini sized 25-HP tractor has a very different structural design a soft canopy top, windscreen, wiper, and bucket seats.

A major attraction has been the German technology harvester combine- Class Crop Tiger Wheel.

The company has number one market position in Europe and third worldwide. The special features like grain breakage losses of less than one per cent, processing losses of less than 1.5 per cent and cleaning efficiency of 99 per cent not possible in other machines. This ensures that a farmer saves up to one quintal on a one-acre field.
 
The machine performing functions like harvesting threshing, cleaning and storage of grain with maintenance being less and requirement of only two persons instead of five for operational purposes convinced the NRCS into buying one.

The institute running the national breeder seed programme was earlier planning on purchasing a Canadian plot combine costing up to Rs 45 lakh. The company offered a free one week demonstration by, which time NRCS was convinced of changing their earlier plan and purchasing the Class machine at Rs 9 lakh, thus saving a lot by the deal. The sole machine present at NRCS ground being the one purchased by the institution attracted numerous farmers.

A series of lectures on ‘farming system and value addition towards evergreen revolution’ by experts and scientists drew large audience participation.

Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur chief scientist Dr AC Pramanik spoke on ‘farming system management in pulses’, Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) regional director Dr HN Pandey spoke on ‘value addition in wheat crop new dimensions and nutrition security’, Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi senior scientist Dr D Ram spoke on ‘farming system in chief vegetables’ and former Dean agriculture College, Indore Dr VN Shroff spoke on importance of carbonic sources management in nurturing crops’.

A seminar for farmers on dairy, animal husbandry, fisheries and other primary sector sources was also held. About 3000 farmers have attended the fair so far. The concluding ceremony would be held at 12 pm on Saturday. Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kantilal Bhuria would be the chief guest on the occasion and Indira Gandhi Agriculture College Vice Chancellor (V-C) Dr CR Hajra would preside over the function. Winners of various competitions and the best stall of the fair award would be felicitated by the guests.