FARMERS VISITING the Agro Tech 2022 said that such fairs should be organized annually in areas dominated by agriculture. Farmers from Punjab and Haryana said that the congestion and traffic restrictions in Chandigarh discourage farmers from visiting such fairs.
They said if similar programs are held in rural areas where agriculture is the main profession, scores of people will be benefited.
Many dealers, who displayed their products at Agro Tech 2022 at Parade Ground, Sector 17, said the response (advance booking of products) they received in cities like Ludhiana has been better than Chandigarh.
Rohitash Singh, a farmer who owns five acres of land in Farrukhnagar, Gurugram, said, “These programs are very good for farmers including those who have small pieces of land. A farmer stays updated with technology and new farming techniques. Our visit here was organized by a government society from Gurugram. Such fairs, be it small scale, should also be held in rural areas where farmers can easily witness the newest techniques. Indeed, most products related to agriculture displayed here are very expensive and out of reach of small farmers despite subsidies”.
Farmers Sube Singh, Man Chand Saini, Jile Singh from Gurugram also expressed similar views.
Rajinder Singh of village Hans Kalan in Jagraon said, “I have been attending these fairs for a long time. We stay updated from such initiatives. But as Chandigarh is an urban city, majority of visitors have nothing to do with agriculture. Indeed, it is good for making urban people aware about the tools and machinery related to agriculture”.
Amandeep Singh, representative of an agriculture equipment manufacturer, said, “Chandigarh has its own importance being the capital of two states. But it also has drawbacks. If government wants to get more results, such tech fairs will be organized in agriculture dominated areas. Farmers usually go from one place to another loaded in tractor-trollies and here there is no parking space for such large vehicles”.
‘Haryana a major stakeholder in the exhibition’
On the second day of the 15th edition of CII Agro Tech 2022, Haryana Agriculture Minister Jai Parkash Dalal visited the exhibition.
He interacted with the stakeholders on the role of farmer producer organizations (FPOs) in horticulture.
Dalal said that Haryana is a major stakeholder in the exhibition which is a great platform for the exhibitors to showcase the best quality seeds, pesticides, technologies, produce, machinery and other products.
Mayank Singhal, Chairman, CII Regional Committee on Agriculture, said, “Sustainable agriculture is indeed a challenge, and the good thing is that it also has a huge chance for growth if we get it right. Holistic integration of all interventions is the
answer”.
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