SEED VENDING MACHINE

SEED VENDING MACHINE

 The State Horticulture Mission will install a network of seed vending machines in the Thiruvananthapuram  city under plans to promote cluster-level farming of vegetables Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan inaugurated the first machine installed at the mission office at Palayam on Wednesday11th April,2012.The machine dispenses an assorted packet of vegetable seeds when a Rs.10 note is inserted into it. The packet includes seeds of cow pea, Bhindi, Brinjal, Chilli and Amaranthus.Horticulture Mission director K. Prathapan said the vending machines would soon be installed at the Central Railway station, Krishi Bhavan at Saphalyam Complex, Palayam and the Anayara World Market. The machines cost Rs. 2.15 lakh each.

Funded by the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, the project has been taken up under the Vegetable Initiative for Peri- Urban Clusters to enhance production organic vegetables and reduce the dependence on neighbouring States for vegetables. A seed vending machine installed by the Kerala Agricultural University at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, became operational on Tuesday.

                                                         Prof. John Kurakar