Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 4
The 13th edition of CII Agro Tech India-2018 concluded at the Parade Ground here on Tuesday.
The four-day agro technology and business fair recorded a footfall of 30,000 farmers. As many as 195 stalls (37 of these were international), including tyres’ stall and small agricultural equipment and special innovators’ pavilion stall, 10 concurrent shows and a number of ‘Kisan Goshthees’ and conferences were the highlights of the fair.
A special stall of products made by Burail jail inmates was a major attarction.
At the valedictory session, chief guest, Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat stressed on the importance of natural farming.
Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Rural Development and Panchayat Minister, Punjab; Navraj Sandhu, Additional Chief Secretary, Agri and Farmers Welfare, Haryana; and Sachit Jain, Chairman, CII, Northern Region were present on the occasion.
Sachit said, “We need to ensure that affordable machines are available to a farmer with 2.5-acre land holding.”
He said, “It’s a matter of pride that numerous farmers have visited the fair and have enjoyed hands-on training at ‘Kisan Ghoshtees’.”
During the fair, conferences on crucially relevant topics such as post harvesting management, stubble burning and enhancing shelf-life of commodities were held. As many as 112 experts from Canada, Belgium and the UK shared their experiences on the topics with around 1,300 participants.
The first prize for best stall display in international pavilion went to the Consulate General of Canada, Chandigarh. Balbir Singh Sidhu, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Labour, Punjab, was the chief guest at the valedictory session of ‘Kisan Goshthees’.