Director visits Uttara Kannada and Udupi district of Coastal Karnataka

    Dr. Parveen Kumar, Director CCARI visited Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts of coastal Karnataka for interacting with staff of regional stations and centres of ICAR and State Agricultural universities and for the distribution of seeds of salt tolerant rice varieties to the farmers of the two coastal districts. On the first day, he visited ICAR CMFRI regional station in Karwar. He was taken to different laboratories and farms and was apprised about ongoing activities of the Institute. On day two, a seed day was organized at Kagal village of Kumta Taluka which was attended by 20 paddy farmers. Eighty kg seed of three salt tolerant rice varieties viz., Goa Dhan 1, Goa Dhan 3 and Goa Dhan 4 of the Institute were distributed to the farmers for cultivation during the forthcoming kharif season in the coastal saline soils. Director briefed farmers about different programmes of the Institute and interacted with them to know the recent problems that are being faced by them in agriculture. Dr. Manohara KK, Senior Scientist in plant breeding, briefed the farmers about the new salt tolerant varieties, their potential to grow under salinity condition and he requested the farmers to get involved in seed production programmes to earn better income. Later in the evening, Director visited Paddy Research Station of UAS Dharwad and interacted with the staff of the station. On the third day, ICAR CCARI team visited KVK Brahmavara in Udupi district and interacted with the officials of KVK Brahmavar. Dr. Dhananjay, PC, KVK, briefed about the activities of the KVK and apprised about the different problems being faced by the framers of Udupi district. We distributed seeds of salt tolerant rice varieties Goa Dhan 1, Goa Dhan 3 and Goa Dhan 4 for demonstration in KVK farm and in farmers field. Dr Sathish RG, Assistant Professor, UAS Dharwad and Dr. Raviraj Shetty, Associate Professor, Cashew Station In charge, Ullala helped to organize seed day at Uttara Kannada and Udupi district, respectively. Dr. Manohara, K. K., coordinated the seed day programme and interaction meeting with the staff of regional stations of ICAR and State Agricultural universities.