Not Government, farmers will decide about fruit cultivation: Bhumre

Aurangabad, May 20:

“Earlier, the government used to issue guidelines for fruit cultivation in the farms of the farmers as to grow fruit trees at what distance. We have canceled all these conditions and hence, farmers will now decide how and what to cultivate on their farms. It has yielded good results,” mentioned Horticulture minister Sandipan Bhumre. He was speaking during the ‘Mango Festival’ organised by Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board and Agriculture Produce Market Committee. MLC Ambadas Danve, district collector Sunil Chavan, Congress district president Kalyan Kale, NCP district president Kailas Patil, district agriculture officer T M Mote, district deputy registrar cooperative institutes Anilkumar Dabshede, former APMC chairman Sanjay Autade, secretary Vijay Shirsath and others were present.

Bhumre further said, this year the target of fruit cultivation is on around one lakh hectares area, for which the government will provide all the assistance. The Keshar Mango from the region has great demand across the world. Earlier, the fruit cultivation was on 33,000 hectares and the target now is one lakh hectares, the farmers have been given all the facilities for it, he said.

APMC chairman Jaggannath Kale demanded that cold storage and food processing unit should be established at Jadhavwadi. Bhumre then asked APMC to submit a proposal for it and assured to fulfill the demand.

District collector Sunil Chavan said, for branding the Keshar mango from the Marathwada region, 12 attractive stalls will be established. Similarly, the publicity of the stalls will be done through the bell vehicle, he said.