Kalaburgi introduces new pulses brand to boost farmers’ income

Kalaburagi: With the aim of increasing the income of the farmers of Kalaburgi district and providing employment opportunities, the district administration and the agriculture department have jointly introducing a new brand called ‘Kalaburgi Pulses'.Under this scheme, farmers are encouraged to process, grade and pack pulses themselves, providing a direct marketing system to them.With the aim of providing employment to the farmers of the district, the district administration and the agriculture department came forward to create a market for pulses, including Tur, with a new branding as ‘Kalaburagi Pulses'.Farmers are encouraged to do their own harvesting and packing by facilitating processing and grading. Later, ‘Kalaburagi Pulses' will also provide them with a marketing system.In the first phase, it is planned to involve 50,000 farmers of the district in order to market the brand.Speaking to TOI, joint director of agriculture department Samad Patel said that there are already 1,000 SHGs and 35 FPOs in the district and the aim is to cater to the registered farmers. Even new farmers are allowed to get involved even if they are not registered.Continuing, he said 60 to 65 lakh tonne pulses are being produced in the district. In this, 10 lakh quintal processing, value addition, branding and marketing system of pulses is being done.A federation of farmers, including SHGs and FPOs, will be formed at district level. This federation provides training on grading, processing, packing, marketing. Accordingly, the farmers will be informed and market will be provided for the paddy produced by them.In order to clean and grade the pulses by the farmers themselves, machines are provided at a subsidy of 50% under the scheme of the state govt's secondary agriculture and PMFME Centre.