A CORRESPONDENT
BOKO: A two-day Krishak Mela (Farmers’ Fair) was organized at Silarai Bhawan, Boko, under the initiative of the Kamrup District Agriculture Department and the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), with support from the Boko Sub-Divisional Agriculture Office. The fair, held on Wednesday and Thursday, featured exhibitions of farm produce, marketing opportunities, buyer-seller interactions, farmer-scientist discussions, and training sessions for cultivators.
The inaugural session was graced by Kamrup District Agriculture Officer Manab Jyoti Das, Director of the State Institute of Agricultural Management and Extension Training Rajib Kumar Bhuyan, and Boko-Chaygaon Co-District Officer Priyanshu Bharadwaj, among other dignitaries.
In his address, Agriculture Officer Das highlighted various schemes and facilities introduced by both the Central and State governments for farmers. He emphasized the government’s efforts to connect farm produce directly with markets to ensure fair pricing, under the motto “Our Fields, Our Markets.” He also stressed the importance of farmer registration as part of the ongoing digitalization of agriculture, which will enable cultivators to access various schemes and benefits in the future. Das further elaborated on the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, a scheme that provides compensation in case of crop loss.
Director Rajib Kumar Bhuyan explained the role of ATMA in modernizing agriculture and allied sectors, including sericulture, horticulture, fisheries, and livestock. He mentioned how the agency supports these sectors through training, demonstrations, farmer schools, and fairs. Bhuyan also encouraged women farmers to consider mushroom cultivation, highlighting its growing global demand and profitability.
An exhibition showcasing agricultural produce was held alongside the fair. Boko Agriculture Officer Gautam Roy Choudhury shared that crops such as chili, banana, ginger, pineapple, turmeric, and aromatic rice from the Boko region have been selected for export. He further informed that ginger, turmeric, chili, and rice could be exported until June-July, while pineapple, orange, banana, jackfruit, and lemon would be exported thereafter.
The fair also featured 29 stalls displaying and selling agricultural tools and farm products, organized under the Boko Sub-Divisional Agriculture Office.
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