Karnataka government has set aside Rs 500 crore for the promotion of organic farming in its state Budget 2021 and has also announced the establishment of a Food Park under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan scheme in Ittangihal village of Vijayapura district.
Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in the state Budget presentation for 2021-22 under the agriculture and allied activities allocated a total grant of Rs 31,028 crore for the agricultural and allied activities sector. He announced a slew of initiatives including extension of subsidy provided for small tractors under the Krishi Yanthrikarana Scheme to be extended to tractors of 25-45 HP.
The Budget brought in considerable focus on opportunity for scientific marketing of organic crops and minor millets through Rashtriya e-Market Private Limited. A programme to increase organic carbon in the agricultural land of the state at an expenditure of Rs 75 crore in the next five years along with a grant of Rs 10 crore in the year 2021-22 was announced.
There is also an additional subsidy of 15% from the Karnataka government to increase the 35% subsidy given by the Central government to the Food Processing and Post Harvest management units under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan scheme to 50% which is a grant of Rs 50 crore.
The state will develop a Horticultural Technological Park in Sirivara village of Koppal District. There will be development of demonstration plots to introduce novel technology, new crop strain and better management practices to the farmers. The action to create brand value to the horticultural products marketed by Farmer Producers Organisations and to provide better market connectivity is also being made.
Further the implementation of Samagra Krishi Paddathi Programme to enable farmers to get income throughout the year was announced. Rs 25 crore are allotted to promote research on yellow leaf disease which is haunting arecanut growers and alternate crops.
Stating that the state would soon implement a new hybrid seed policy, Yediyurappa said there would also be efforts to establish a new agricultural export zone for aromatic and medicinal plants, fruits, vegetables and spices; support facility in international airports of the state for export of horticultural crops.
In addition to this training and technical support to the growers to create value addition to the fruit and vegetable crop and to provide market connectivity. • Action to reconstitute Karnataka Wine Board as Karnataka Grape and Wine Board to promote grape cultivation is on the cards.
The state is also working on establishing a modern processing and value addition centre for the processing of fishery products at an expenditure of Rs 6 crore through Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation. There will be Fish Sales Units and Matsya Darshinis at an expenditure of Rs 30 crore across Karnataka.
In order to have faster and easy market access from villages, towns and cities, the state government is constructing state-of-the-art vegetable market in Gulimangala village near Singena Agrahara, a modern dry chilli market in Aladahalli village of Ballari along with a turmeric market in Chamarajanagar. ‘Modern Quality Analysis Unit’ at an expenditure of Rs 4 crore in Byadgi Agricultural Produce Market in Haveri district is announced.