The State Vegetable Farm at Vandiperiyar will function as a a farm tourism centre from Friday. Seeds and vegetable and flower saplings will be exhibited and available for sale at the centre. An official at the farm said the initiative would help familiarise visitors with the developments in the field of agriculture.
The serene ambience of the farm on the side of the Kollam-Theni National Highway is an additional benefit. Those visiting Thekkady can drop in and see the numerous experiments in agriculture.
A ₹1.83-crore project
The infrastructure for farm tourism was developed over a year ago at a cost of ₹1.83 crore. There are walkways, resting places and toilets. Information on the history of the State Vegetable Farm is provided, apart from details on the latest technological advancements in the field of agriculture. The farm, under the Department of Agriculture, has a marketing counter and a cardamom and fruit processing unit. Principal Agriculture Officer V.T. Sulochana said initially entry would be free for visitors. She said farm tourism had much potential in Idukki the State Vegetable Farm planned to utilise it to the maximum. Farmers too would benefit from the venture, she added.
