Guj CM inaugurates centre of excellence for vegetables

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel today inaugurated the state's first Centre of Excellence for Vegetables in the presence of Israel's Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon at Vadrad village in Sabarkantha district.
The centre has been developed at a cost of Rs 12 crore over a 2000-sq metre area. It is the result of an MoU signed between the Gujarat government and Israel in Agro Vibrant Summit four years ago, stated a government press release.
While inaugurating the centre, Patel said it will prove crucial for farmers who want to adopt latest technology in farming using less water. At present, around 50 lakh high quality saplings have been put on display at the centre.

Patel also stated that display of organic farm produces will also be organised at the centre.
On the occasion, the CM urged farmers to adopt the Israel model of agriculture, where farmers are yielding high returns through drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation methods due to scarcity of water there.
The centre, developed by the Government of Israel, will provide high quality saplings of different vegetables to farmers at concessional rates.

"Almost 30 per cent saplings grown by farmers eventually fail, but the high-quality saplings provided by this centre will prove more beneficial to them," she is quoted as saying in the release.

Patel said her government was taking various steps to promote organic farming, which is gaining popularity among farmers due to high demand of such organic farm produces. Recently, an exclusive organic food market has been opened in Ahmedabad.
The CM announced the government will set up another such food market in Surat for selling organic food produces and that her government is actively thinking to make use of discarded coconut fibre as organic fertiliser.
"A large number of coconut fibre which has been discarded at various pilgrimage places in the state will be collected for that purpose," she said.
On the occasion, Carmon expressed happiness for being part of the project and said the Centre of Excellence will further enhance ties between India and Israel.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Mohan Kundariya was also present at the event.
In his speech, Kundariya said the Centre has given a grant of Rs 50 crore to Gujarat to develop two food parks in Mehsana and Kutch.