THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ready-cut vegetables for making ‘sambar’ and ‘aviyal’, the traditional cuisine of Malayalees, will soon be available in Thiruvananthapuram city at a cheap price through outlets at Thampanoor KSRTC Bus Stand and Railway Station.The State Horticultural Products Development Corporation (Horticorp) and the State Horticulture Mission are on a mission to provide organic vegetables for the people of Kerala and this is a pilot project being implemented in the capital city. The vegetables will be procured from the farmers in Thiruvananthapuram district.State Horticulture Mission Director K Prathapan told Express that a slew of programmes are being planned for Thiruvananthapuram, to be later extended to other cities in the State. Cut vegetables for ‘sambar’ and ‘aviyal’ will be the first attempt where the public can purchase it on the way home after work.‘’The present plan is to make available the vegetables during evening as there is a heavy rush at bus stations and the railway station at this time. This will be beneficial to those who want the traditional cuisine to be cooked in the evening or the next day,’’ Prathapan said.It is planned to sell one packet of the vegetable mix at a cost of ` 10. The produce will be procured from the farmers who are cultivating it in the southern parts of the district.According to Prathapan, the produce will be sold through Self-Help Groups of women. This will provide an income for the women as well as ensure a market for vegetables cultivated without using fertilisers in the district. The Peri-urban Vegetable Initiative of Union Ministry of Agriculture under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, which was implemented in Thiruvananthapuram district, has shown positive results. Seed kits were distributed to 25,000 households for vegetable garden cultivation through 450 residents’ associations. ‘’The project is aimed at cultivating vegetables in each and every house so that the daily cuisine should have one vegetable cultivated at home. The waste generated from each home can be used as manure for cultivation, resulting in managing waste from its source itself,’’ he said. As part of expanding the vegetable cultivation, seeds, dried cow dung and vermi-compost will be distributed with the help of a vehicle. It will ensure that it reaches every nook and corner of the district. Horticorp is also planning to introduce vending machines in the city from where the public can buy vegetable seeds. Seeds weighing five or ten grams will be made available through these machines.
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