Kisan Mela (Sesame 2024) jointly organized by PJTSAU, Hyderabad, PC unit (AICRP on Sesame and Niger), JNKKV, Jabalpur, ICAR- Indian Institute of Oilseed Research, Hyderabad and Indian Oilseeds & Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC), Mumbai at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Jagtial on 10.01.2024. District Collector and Magistrate of Jagial, Smt. Ashmin Bhasha Garu said that there is a need for farmers to increase the area under cultivation of Sesame, Safflower, castor, sunflower, groundnut in Telangana. Similarly in earlier days farmers used to grow enough oilseeds, pulses and food grains for every family. It is suggested that farmers need to focus on integrated agriculture. Dr. P. Raghu Rami Reddy, Director of Research, PJTSAU, Hyderabad, said in a presidential speech that Kisan Mela was organized with the objective of increasing the area under oil seed cultivation, especially sesame cultivation, in the Northern Telangana Zone during the summer season. Apart from increasing the area, there is also a need to adopt good management practices to produce premium-quality sesame seeds for export to maximize returns. Dr. S.V. Ramana Rao, Principal Scientist, (Agricultural economics), ICAR-IIOR, Hyderabad, explained the scenario of oil seed cultivation and the practices that need to be adopted by the farmers to enhance productivity and cropping systems such as intercropping of sesame in sugarcane to reap maximum benefits. He advised the farmers to sow the sesame in the month of January. There is also huge potential to enhance productivity from 9 to 20% in Telangana state. Shri. Kishore Tanna, Convener Groundnut and Groundnut Oil Panel, Jamdas Madhavji International Ltd, Hon. Secretary, Indian Oilseeds &Produce Export Promotion Council, Mumbai briefed the Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council activities taken out in the country to promote sesame exports and also other oil seeds. For the export of sesame, good agricultural practices (GAP) need to be adopted to produce high-quality, pesticide-free, and mold-free produce to fetch high returns. Dr. Anand Kumar Vishwakarma, Project Coordinator (Sesame & Niger), ICAR, JNKVV, Jabalpur, explained about the demand and supply of oil seed production in the country. He stated that sesame is the queen of the oil seed, so we have to increase the sesame area especially in the Northern Telangana Zone, by adopting cropping patterns such as cotton-sesame, turmeric-sesame, and paddy-sesame during the summer season. He assured that AICRP on sesame will extend all kinds of support to enhance productivity and expand the area under sesame cultivation in Telangana state. Dr. V. Sudharani, Director of Extension briefed the farmers about the details of sesame, safflower, sunflower and groundnut cultivation and feasibility of export. Around 45 stalls were arranged for various public (veterinary college, agriculture department, food science college, horticulture department and related departments) and private sector (equipment, agricultural implements, new technology exhibits in this program). In this program, district officials related to various fields of Agriculture, Dr. G. Sreenivas, Associate Director of Research, Northern Telangana Zone; Dr. Bharati Narayan Bhat, Associate Dean, Agricultural College, Jagtial; Dr. S. Vanisree, Principal Scientist (Oil seeds); Dr. Damodar Raju, Principal Scientist (Rice); Dr. D. Kalpana, Associate Dean of College of Food Science and Technology, Rudrur; Dr. Shridar Chauhan, Associate Dean, Agricultural College, Adilabad; Agriculture Officers, Scientists, about 1300 – 1500 farmers, friends of print and electronic media, polytechnic and agricultural college students participated.
Read more: https://www.pjtsau.edu.in/kisan-mela-2024-rars-jagtial.html
