Mysore :
This weekend, organic farmers and consumers of the Mysore region will converge at Curzon Park , adjoining Mysore Palace , in large numbers.
After its success in Bangalore, the department of horticulture is organizing a two-day Organic fair in Mysore from February 9-10.
Such an Organic fair is being organized for the first time in Mysore, with a view to encourage organic farmers.
The fair aims to provide a platform to producers to exhibit their unique produces and sell them directly to the consumers, to facilitate farmer groups to establish linkages with other organic market functionaries including retail outlets processors and wholesale dealers and also help consumers.
Different types of organically grown vegetables and fruits like Nanjangud Rasabale, grapes, sapota, guava, papaya and yellaki banana, will be exhibited at the two-day event.
Apart from this, variety of rice like Gandhasale, jeerige sanna, rajmudi, redrice and jaya rice and millets like Ragi navane, sajje, arka, same and jowar will be available in the fair besides processed organic food items like jams, jellies, chutneys, juices, cold pressed oil and cosmetics.
Horticulture additional director K Ramakrishnappa on Sunday told reporters we are on a mission to promote organic farming in Karnataka as food safety is considered as an important issue in developing national. People are increasingly concerned over food quality these because of intensive agricultural practices and pollution.
As organic farming aims at production of quality and safe agricultural products by following eco-friendly farming system and restores soil health, we are aiming to encourage farmers in the region. We will promote our activities under banner Jaivik Krishik society, which is a consortium of 121 organic farmers and 30 organic farming groups.
As per our study, a farmer willing to shift from convention farming system to organic farming have to wait for atleast two years for better yield. Though the yield is less compared to other methods, the produce will be rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber besides retaining nutrient levels for longer days unlike conventional produce grown by using chemicals, the additional director claimed.
The two-day fair will be inaugurated on February 9 at 10.30am and will be open to the public between 10.30am and 6pm. Nearly 20,000 people are expected at the fair along with a sale of over 50 tonnes of organic products.
Horticulture deputy director H M Nagaraj said that an organic food court will be opened at the venue to popularize organic produces and products.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Mysore / by Lawrence Milton, TNN / February 03rd, 2013