CM calls for making agriculture profitable by using new varieties of crops and equipment developed by researchers

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on December 5 called on the farming community to make agriculture profitable by introducing new varieties of crops and making use of equipment developed by researchers.

Speaking after inaugurating Krishi Mela 2025, which has the theme ‘Sustainability through Integrated Farming’ and has been organised at the newly established University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) premises at V.C. Farm in Mandya, Mr. Siddaramaiah emphasised the need for technology developed by research institutions to reach farmers.

Apart from introducing the new varieties developed by research institutions, farmers should make use of the new technology and equipment that had been developed in the field of agriculture. In view of the difficulty in getting labour for farm activities nowadays, farmers should make use of the equipment, which not only save time but money, he said, while assuring the farmers of government support in such efforts.

The Chief Minister also suggested that farmers add value to their produce and adopt integrated farming practices.

Earlier, Mr. Siddaramaiah also released a booklet titled ‘Raithara Shramada Pratiphala’ or ‘Fruits of Farmers’ Hard Work’, which he said threw light on how progressive farmers had made agriculture profitable.

He said a new University for Agricultural Sciences was established in Mandya, which is an agriculture-intensive district in Karnataka, after a proposal in the regard was placed before him by the Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy, who is also the in-charge Minister of Mandya district.

UAS in Mandya caters to farmers not just in Mandya but in adjoining districts such as Mysuru, Hassan, Kodagu and Chamarajanagar.

Though 78 to 80% of the country’s population was dependent on agriculture at the time of Independence, the number has now come down to around 60 to 62%, he said, adding that a large number of people are quitting agriculture.

Recovery rate of sugarcane

Mr. Siddaramaiah instructed the Harini Kumar, Special Officer of the UAS, Mandya, to conduct a research on improving the recovery rate of sugarcane grown in Mandya.

Claiming that the recovery rate of sugarcane cultivated in Maharashtra was around 13 to 14% but only 8.5 to 9.5% in Mandya, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the University should take up research to ascertain the reasons and come up with measures to improve the recovery rate.

As the remuneration of farmers depends on the recovery rate, there is a need to increase the same, he said, while asking University officials to conduct a study of the soil and crop varieties so that appropriate steps can be taken in the direction.

Research centre in K.S. Puttannaiah’s name

Responding to a suggestion from Dinesh Gooli Gowda, MLC, Mr. Siddaramaiah directed the authorities of UAS, Mandya, to start a research centre at the university in the name of the late K.S. Puttannaiah, former Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leader.

He also promised to seriously consider the proposal to start a new international postgraduate degree course in agriculture from the next academic year.