The Agriculture Department plans to extend the ‘pineapple challenge’ and procurement of cool-season vegetables to all districts to help farmers, Agriculture Minister V. S. Sunil Kumar said.
The initiatives had been launched in select districts to help farmers sell their produce after the COVID-19 pandemic affected exports.
The ‘pineapple challenge’ was launched in Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts.
The pineapples were sold through outlets opened by the Kerala State Horticultural Products Development Corporation (Horticorp) and the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council, Keralam (VFPCK).
Farmers in Idukki
Similarly, the department is planning to sell cool-season vegetables grown in Vattavada-Kanthalloor and Devikulam in Idukki district through Horticorp. This will benefit farmers who grow cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, beetroot and also passion fruit. Since the border with Tamil Nadu remains closed due to the pandemic, the government intends to procure maximum volume of vegetables from Idukki and make them available across the State, the Minister said.
