The six-day Sasyasante and Horticulture Campaign 2025 organised by the Department of Horticulture, Koppal, concluded on August 20 with an impressive turnover, registering demand for more than 45 lakh saplings and related horticultural inputs.
Officials said that advance bookings alone accounted for over ₹25 lakh worth of indigenous and exotic fruit saplings.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Held from August 15 to 20 in the premises of the Deputy Director of Horticulture’s office, the ninth edition of the annual fair attracted over 10,000 farmers and visitors from Koppal and neighbouring districts. Officials said that advance bookings alone accounted for over ₹25 lakh worth of indigenous and exotic fruit saplings. Farmers registered for mango, sweet lime, jamun, apple, lemon, jackfruit and foreign varieties for planting in more than 2,000 acres of additional horticulture land.
Apart from fruit-bearing trees, ornamental plants, vegetable seedlings, compost, bio-fertilisers, neem powder, drip irrigation equipment and garden accessories witnessed strong demand.
“The fair was organised with the concept of ‘low cost, low maintenance, and assured income’. The overwhelming response shows farmers’ growing interest in diversifying into horticulture,” an official said.
In all, over 3.5 lakh saplings produced in departmental nurseries were sold.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Exotic varieties such as Miyazaki mango and avocado drew remarkable attention. More than 4,000 Miyazaki mango saplings and 2,000 avocado plants were booked, alongside macadamia, mangosteen, litchi, cherry and other exotic species, with the total crossing 5,000. Indigenous varieties were equally popular, including 20,000 ‘Kesar’ mango saplings, 15,000 coconut saplings, 6,000 lemon, 5,000 guava (L-49), and 9,000 drumstick plants.
In all, over 3.5 lakh saplings produced in departmental nurseries were sold.
Vegetable seedlings such as tomato, chilli, brinjal, capsicum, cauliflower, cabbage and ornamental plants including rose, royal palm, hibiscus hybrids and decorative succulents were in high demand. Medicinal plants like insulin, rosemary and chakramuni also attracted interest.
During the fair, 50 tonnes of vermicompost, 10,000 litres of bio-fertilisers, 5,000 kg of neem cake and 500 kg of organic supplements were sold.
Farmers registered for 1,000 drip irrigation installations facilitated by private firms.
Demonstrations and awareness programmes
Live demonstrations of kitchen gardens, terrace gardens, vertical gardening and hydroponics were organised, drawing thousands of farmers eager to adopt new techniques. Over 300 farmers registered interest in palm cultivation under the ‘Mega Drive’ initiative.
Technical information on departmental schemes, exotic horticulture crops and sustainable income generation was disseminated through over 100 display panels.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Ginigera soil and water testing laboratory provided guidance on soil and water analysis, while sessions were held on jackfruit farming, organic certification and carbon credits.
Technical information on departmental schemes, exotic horticulture crops and sustainable income generation was disseminated through over 100 display panels. Officials said that more than 5,000 new farmers received guidance on horticulture projects and modern cultivation practices.
Concluding on a successful note, the fair reaffirmed its role as a platform for promoting horticulture diversification, technology adoption and farmer education in the region.
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Published – August 22, 2025 10:35 am IST
