All India Kisan Mela at the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology here has been attracting a large number of farmers and visitors. About 12,000 farmers have registered in the event and a larger number of visitors have visited the exhibition so far.
The farmers visiting the exhibition are showing interest in Rabi crop seeds, saplings, farming literature, agriculture equipment and new technologies. The high yielding varieties of wheat including DW 17, PBW 621-50, PBW 343, 550 and 373, the Pant Chana 186 variety of gram and in mustard, the Pant Peeli Sarso, Pant Kranti and Pant PR-15 are in demand. By the second day of the exhibition, farmers had purchased items worth Rs 25 lakh from the crop, vegetable and seed production centres of the university and stalls of the GBPUAT farm.
The farmers are buying seeds and saplings of various crop species, fruits and vegetables. Dr TP Singh of the university’s farm machinery division said that visitors are showing interest in the farm machinery developed at the university. Considering the demand for the wheat thresher developed for use in mountainous areas, the university is getting this manufactured on a commercial scale. The Government has also announced a 30 per cent rebate on the purchase of this thresher.
The farmers are also showing interest in napier grass developed by the university’s agriculture science centre as an alternative to traditional fodder. Scientists from the centre said that this grass can be prepared in all types of climatic conditions. After sowing this grass once, it can be harvested up to eight times for fodder. Those growing this grass can also earn Rs 550 per quintal by selling it. Farmers are being trained on cultivating this grass.