The Agriculture Department is distributing one crore saplings to farmers as part of encouraging the cultivation of fruit trees in the State.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan inaugurated the distribution on Saturday, World Environment Day, by planting a rose apple on the sprawling Raj Bhavan grounds.
This year, good quality grafts and saplings of more than 20 types of fruit trees including jackfruit, mango, rambutan, mangosteen, papaya, chikoo, passion fruit, banana, gooseberry, pomegranate and rose apple are being distributed to the farmers. The Agriculture Department has tied up with the forests and local self government department for the initiative.
The Agriculture Department had launched the initiative last year as part of Subhiksha Keralam, a State government campaign meant to ensure food security during the COVID-19 outbreak. In the first edition, the department had distributed 1.36 crore fruit tree saplings.
The initiative gels with this year’s World Environment Day theme of ecosystem restoration and contributes to the expansion of fruit tree cultivation across the State, according to the department. The saplings were arranged through the farms under the department, Agricultural Karma Senas, Vegetable and Fruit promotion Council, Keralam (VFPCK); Kerala Agricultural University and the agro service centres.
Agriculture Minister P. Prasad, who presided over the inauguration on Saturday, planted an Allahabad Safeda variety of guava. Agriculture director K. Vasuki was present.
