The 95th farmers’ fair-cum-agro-industrial exhibition began at the campus of the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar on Friday.
Popularly known as Kisan Mela, the farmers’ fair was inaugurated by Anant Ram Chauhan, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Kumaun range) at the main campus of Pantnagar University.
Speaking on the occasion, Chauhan called upon the scientists to develop low-cost storage structures where farmers could store their produce and could sell the same at an opportune time. He stressed that lack of proper storage structure at village-level forced farmers to dispose off their produce at low rates and urged concerned authorities to make proper storage arrangements so that the farmers could earn better returns of their produce.
Registrar of the University, Dr JP Pandey, speaking about the highlights of Pantnagar farmers’ fair, said that this fair provided a platform to farmers, scientists and agricultural firms to share each other’s experience, knowledge and products.
He told that different Krishi Vigyan Kendras of the University also provided trainings to farmers and arrange demonstrations at farmers’ fields. On this occasion, nine progressive farmers selected from different districts of Uttarakhand were also honoured. Farmers from UP, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra and other States of India and including Uttarakhand took part in this four day long farmers’ fair.
The GBPUAT has been organising this Kisan mela twice-a-year as it served as a useful purpose of providing a platform for interaction among farmers, scientists and representatives of agri-business/agro-industrial firms, maintained the officials concerned of the GBPUAT.
Among others, Rajendra Pal Singh, Member of Board of Management of the GBPUAT, Dr JP Pandey, Registrar of the GBPUAT, Dr YPS. Dabas, Director Extension Education, GBPUAT, scientists and farmers were also present on this occasion.