Agriculture minister V S Sunil Kumar regrets jibe at V M Sudheeran organic tour

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Agriculture minister V. S. Sunil Kumar on Tuesday regretted teasing Congr-ess leader V.M. Sudheeran’s Janapaksha Yatra four years back as Vegetable Yatra because he promoted organic farming. The minister was talking to reporters after visiting Sougandhikam Gardens at Kallampally here, the nursery belonging to Latha Sudheeran, the former KPCC president’s wife. Mr Sudheeran said when the Congress and women across the state took to organic farming, his campaign proved a success and it was still going strong.

Ms Sudheeran after retirement from her banking career took 13 cents of land on lease at Kallampally at Sreekariyam and set up a nursery. It has now an extensive collection of orchids, indoor plants, flowering plants, vegetables and accessories. Mr Kumar recalled members of the Legislative Assembly raising in the current session the dearth of bio manure, biofertilisers and biocontrol agents in the market.

Rather than developing it commercially, women self-help groups should take it up, he felt. He said praised farmers' demonstration in Maharashtra drawing attention to their plight nationwide. He said agriculture is a "social work" and people should take it up seriously.