The general council of the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has approved an annual budget of ₹695.24 crore (about € 87,5 mln) for the year 2021-22. Expecting an annual revenue of ₹456.96 crore (about € 57,5 mln), the budget will be a ₹238.28-crore (about € 30 mln) deficit budget.
The budget has allotted ₹40 crore (about € 600k) for research. A directorate will be established for improved production of seeds and planting materials and distribution to farmers. Breeding technology will be developed to equip vegetable crops to overcome adverse conditions. Besides, research projects are envisaged for the collection and conservation of gene banks of various crops.
There will be more research on recent agricultural techniques like protected cultivation, precision farming, and hydroponics. Design and development of nutrient film technology suitable for hydroponics cultivation of vegetables has been included in this.
To reduce post-harvest loss of fruits, and to improve farmers’ income, the university proposes to establish a winery for brewing low alcohol beverages from fruits and developing associated research and technology development. The mapping of the value chain of mangoes in Muthalamada, Palakkad, is proposed to be done in a comprehensive manner. The budget also envisages surveillance of the Chaliyar river using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology and establishing 200- meter buffer zones on the two banks of the river.
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