Agri Intex has received an overwhelming response from the industry and the entire trade. The 20th edition of India's Premier Agricultural Trade Fair will be held at the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, until July 18, 2022.
M.R.K Panneerselvam, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and V. Senthil Balaji, Minister of Electricity, inaugurated Agri Intex Exhibition. "These types of exhibitions would boost farmers' confidence because they would come to the fair with problems and get them resolved here," he said.
This year, 1,997 more villages will be added to the Kalaignar All Villages Integrated Agricultural Development Programme, and all 12,525 villages across the state will be added by 2026, said Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare M.R.K Panneerselvam at the inaugural event.
Senthil Balaji praised CODISSIA's efforts in organizing the fair, saying that from 25,000 farmers in 2000 when it began, the exhibition would benefit more than two lakh farmers this year. He also stated that the government has provided one lakh farmers with free electricity connections and has established three agriculture colleges within a year.
He also stated that 150 companies attended Agri Intex exhibition in 2020. "This year, over 500 companies are participating." The show serves as a link between farmers and industry. It allows farmers to stay up to date on the latest technologies," he added.
Kalaignar All Villages Integrated Agricultural Development Programme (KAVIADP) has been extended to 93 village panchayats in the district, according to Collector G S Sameeran. In the coming years, more villages will be covered. Over 6,000 farmers have benefited so far.
“For the benefit of the coconut farmers, the district administration has increased the direct procurement centre for copra from three to seven, in one year,” he added.
According to N. Krishnaraj, the event's chairman, 497 companies are participating. More than ten companies from various countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Israel, and Sweden, were also present. Earlier, the Ministers toured the model farms set up on the grounds by the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU). Vice-Chancellor V. Geethalakshmi discussed the various crop varieties and poultry farming techniques being used.
Later, addressing farmers at the exhibition, Panneerselvam stated that farmers are gaining respect from all sectors of society, including officials, as a result of the state government's emphasis on agriculture by establishing a separate budget for it. He believes the state government's announcement to provide 50,000 more free power connections to farmers will help to expand cultivation and, as a result, farm output.
Codissia organised the three-day exhibition after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Over 500 companies from across the country and a few from other countries have set up 570 stalls in total. M Prathap, commissioner of Coimbatore Corporation, Kalpana Anandakumar, mayor of Coimbatore, V Geethalakshmi, vice-chancellor of TNAU, and V Thirugnanam, president of Codissia also took part.
It must be noted that Krishi Jagran Team has also been a part of the exhibition since day one.
