Kerala CM calls for self-sufficiency in producing food grains if Covid-19 lockdown extends

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday in a statement said that state would need big interventions in agricultural sector to remain self-sufficient in food grain production, in case of prevailing circumstances due to COVID-19 pandemic continuing for a long period. He said that Kerala is dependent on or States for meeting its demand for food grains, fruits and vegetables.

'We would have to start preparing for future'

"We have eugh food stocks available for w and we are in a comfortable situation but if current circumstances due to pandemic outbreak continue for long, we would have to start preparing for future and would need big interventions in agriculture sector," Vijayan said. 

Kerala CM mentioned that agriculture department in association with local self-government bodies is planning big projects to make state more self-reliant. "We should explore all possible ways to improve our vegetable cultivation using kitchen gardens, rooftop cultivation and community projects by making best use of available agriculture land in State," he said.

Stressing that state needs to adopt modern farming techniques and practices to have maximum produce from minimum area, Vijayan said, " state needs to increase rice cultivation into over 25,000 hectares in next two years. Cultivation of cereals, tuber crops, tapioca and plantain/banana should be increased to a larger area." He added that Kerala requires 20 lakh metric tonnes of vegetables every year, however, this year's production is just 14.72 lakh metric tonnes.

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Kerala reported a spike in COVID-19 cases on Tuesday with 19 people testing positive, after a decline in numbers in past few days, as total infections touched 426 in sourn state. total number of positive Coronavirus cases across country rose to 18,985, including 15,122 active cases of virus. So far, 3,259 patients are cured/discharged while 603 deaths have been recorded, as per data provided by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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(With ncy inputs)