Kozhikode: The agrarian folk songs filled the air. People were bustling with joy seeing the sprawling 1,100 acres of paddy field which wore a thick golden colour ready to harvest. The venue was at Karayilthazha at Avala Pandi in Perambra where agriculture minister V.S. Sunil Kumar inaugurated the harvest festival on Sunday. Avala Pandi, the erstwhile rice-bowl of Kozhikode, has regained its spirit through concerted effort after left idle for long 30 years.
Cheruvannur grama panchayat, the agriculture department and Mission Perambra, the three principal organisers, along with the enormous support of locals, made the kole land fertile again through a united effort. Mr Kumar said the government would increase the insurance protection of crops by three to six times. “The government has set a target to double the paddy cultivation within five years,” he said.
Minister A.K. Saseendran, actor Sreenivasan, district panchayat president Babu Parasserry, Cheruvannur grama panchayat president Biju K.P., assistant director of agriculture A. Pushpa and others spoke. The Consumerfed has agreed to buy rice at Rs 21 and fodder by MILMA at Rs 6 per kg. The lush green fields are spread across nine panchayats, of which Cheruvannur has the maximum share.
