Look for alternative system on Horticulture Uty: Experts

Bangalore, June 3: A professional group has urged the state government to look into an alternative view of strengthening the existing system instead of opening a separate University for Horticulture in the state.

Former University Chancellor R Dwarkinath, who is heading the professional group comprising former agriculture and horticulture scientists and technologists told reporters that it had opined that the government should examine the feasibility of starting the separate Horticulture University at Bagalkot.

Stating that the government could have appointed an expert committee to go into the feasibility before making the announcement in this regard in the budget he said that the further fragmentation of university into small segments will lead to duplication of the existing institutions.

"Our farmers are not specialists but mixed farmers and they need all crops and occupations for their livelihood," he said.

He said that the state is best suited climatically for horticulture crops and it needs to be promoted and no there is no second opinion on that in view of the shift in the consumerism in the globalisation context.

He said that existing system could be reoriented with setting up of more horticulture colleges, directorate for research and development in horticulture with a stress on post harvest cultivation.

UNI