Indian Council of Agricultural Research Assistant Director General (ICAR - Commercial Agriculture and Seed) D.K. Yadava on December 13 (Wednesday) advocated the adoption of climate-resilient technologies to encourage commercial crops in a bid to meet the challenges related to new climate mandates.
Mr. Yadava took part in the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI-Rajahmundry) which has been recently designated as the National Institute for Research on Commercial Agriculture (NIRCA).
He also unveiled a pylon of the CTRI-Rajahmundry to mark 75 years of service to the country on the occasion.
Farm mechanisation
Addressing the farmers and scientists, Mr. Yadava said, “Research institutes should collaborate with the engineering institutions to give a fillip to farm mechanisation that minimises the need for physical labour. Women share the major stake in physical labour in the cultivation of commercial crops.”
Mr. Yadava further said that tobacco earned more foreign exchange for India when compared to other food crops, despite its acreage being very low. “The by-products will have the potential to improve the revenues generated from tobacco cultivation. The CTRI-Rajahmundry should multiply the existing tobacco seed production to meet the requirements across the country,” he said.
Tobacco Board Chairman C. Yashwanth Kumar said India was the only country, in which the national institute (CTRI) and the board worked together to promote tobacco cultivation and marketing. He appealed to the CTRI scientists to give due importance to tobacco in view of adding new research portfolios after it was designated as the NIRCA.
Farmers Producers Organisations
Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat appealed to the CTRI to prepare an action plan to encourage the formation of Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) to set up small-scale industries to encourage sales of turmeric and Ashwagandha. The FPOs would also promote crop diversification, he said.
CTRI-Rajahmundry Director Maganti Seshu Madhav threw light on the institute’s journey and contribution to tobacco cultivation and the creation of wealth from the most sought-after commercial crop in India.
CTRI former Directors K. Deo Singh, V. Krishna Murthy, T.G.K. Murthy and scientists were felicitated during the platinum jubilee celebrations on the CTRI campus. Adikavi Nannaya University Vice-Chancellor K. Padmaraju and other academicians lauded the services of the CTRI scientists.
