The government in India is rolling out a programme to promote the organic cultivation of pineapples and to bring more areas under the crop.
Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar told the Assembly on Monday that a joint investigation would be carried out by the Kerala Agricultural University and the Department of Agriculture to assess the impact of hormone treatments to induce flowering and ripening of the fruit.
Responding to a submission moved by Eldo Abraham, he said the efforts to extend pineapple farming to more areas had run into protests in many areas largely based on apprehension about the indiscriminate use of pesticides by farmers and its impact on the environment.
The Minister informed the House that 9,007 hectares in the State had come under pineapple cultivation. Efforts were ongoing to extend the cultivation to another 400 hectares next year.
source: thehindu.com
