Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 11: Farmers in South Andaman are receiving technical and practical training on scientific spice cultivation, harvesting, processing and storage as the Agriculture Department seeks to strengthen knowledge and skills for improved productivity, quality and value realisation. A two-day programme under UT-ATMA, Prothrapur Block, began today at the field of T. Mohammed in Kodiyaghat village, Gram Panchayat Beodnabad.
The training focuses on the package of practices required for spice crops, covering cultivation methods as well as harvesting and post-harvest management. It also addresses processing and proper storage of produce, with emphasis on adopting improved practices across the production cycle.
A total of 23 farmers are participating in the programme, which combines technical sessions with practical field demonstrations. The format is intended to provide participants with hands-on exposure to different aspects of spice production and post-harvest handling.
The inaugural session was attended by V. Kumar, Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat Beodnabad, as chief guest. The Assistant Director (Agriculture), South Andaman; Subject Matter Specialist from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Sippighat; Agriculture Officer, South Andaman; field functionaries of the Agriculture Department; and participating farmers also attended the session.
During the opening session, farmers were briefed on the importance of scientific approaches to spice cultivation and the need to follow appropriate field and post-harvest practices. The training places particular emphasis on improving the handling of spice produce after harvest, alongside cultivation and production practices.
The programme is being conducted through UT-ATMA, Prothrapur Block, as part of the Agriculture Department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen and promote spice cultivation in the Islands.
The training covers key spice crops grown under the programme, including cinnamon, black pepper, clove, bayleaf and nutmeg. The two-day sessions will combine technical instruction with field-based demonstrations to address cultivation, harvesting, post-harvest management, processing and storage.
