Mobile sales of seeds and planting material and Crop Clinic at Public Market, Nelliyadi

Crop clinic program was conducted by the staff Deputy Provincial Director of Agriculture Jaffna at Nelliyaddy Public Market on 10th April 2019 (Wednesday) for benefiting farmers and home gardeners. The Crop Clinic was held under the patronage of Deputy Provincial Director of Agriculture, Jaffna Mrs. Anchanadevi Srirangan. The plant doctors diagnosed technical problems having inspected either affected plants or affected parts of the plant brought by the farmers to the crop clinic gave the recommendations to 15 farmers in the prescription sheet and sent the Short Message to their mobile phone instantly. In this occasion 23 farmers had brought the affected plant or plant parts (samples) and received the solution to their problems. Further more than 76 farmers received the information for solving their problems with special reference to the plant protection in the crop cultivation.

Furthermore, Guidance for organic farming were given in the crop clinic. Liquid organic fertilizer Panchagovia and Amirthakaraisal, biopesticides Iynthylaikaraisal and 3G solution, fruit covering bags were sold to encourage the farmers and home gardeners to shift their hands towards organic agriculture. The technology for fruit fly management with pheromone trap was also given in the clinic to encourage the farmers to produce quality poison free fruits. GAP officers (Good Agriculture practices) also participated and created awareness of GAP certification procedure & benefits.

The Mobile Sales Service was also conducted coupled with crop clinic. District Agriculture Training Centre and Atchuvely Horticulture Genetic Resource Centre sold their growing bag seedlings such as brinjal, chilli, cluster beans, fruit plant seedlings such as Pomegranate, Lime, Jack & arecanut, sandi, croton, puthina, musuddai, mudakoththan, aloevera. Spinach, Murunga, Neem, Sesbania, Coffee etc. This mobile sales service was carried out with the objective of providing the life inputs for promoting home gardens, school gardens, office gardens, etc. Moreover, the objective of supplying tree plants for building up the green nation has also been included in this mobile sale.

With the objective of providing good quality seeds to increase the productivity and quality of agriculture produce, in the Mobile Sales Service, Good Quality Certified seeds of the crops such as green gram, black gram, cowpea, ground nut and vegetables were sold to the farmers and other categories of intended clients.

Publications and handouts of the Department which could provide additional technical information to 25 farmers for improving their agricultural activities were also sold at the mobile sales service. The Publications and handouts include Grapes, Jack Cultivation, Post-harvest, Margosa pesticide, Mushroom Cultivation, Orange Cultivation, Rice production, Mango, Hydroponics, Pesticide recommendation book, Leafy vegetable, Guava Cultivation, and Using of Organic Fertilizer.

“Govipola” mobile application helps to marketing facilities to the farmers for their product. In the mobile sales service about 05 farmers installed the Govipola application and entered their produce details therein.