Mysuru: Over 120 farmers were distributed Soil Test Report Cards at an interaction meet with horticulture farmers, organised by Raitha Mithra Farmer Producers Company in association with Mysuru & Chamarajanagar District Fruits and Vegetable Growers Association at Rajendra Bhavan here on Monday morning.

Speaking after inaugurating the event, Karnataka Sugarcane Growers Association President Kurubur Shanthakumar, who is also the Chairman of Raitha Mithra Farmer Producers Company, said that the company plans to establish a mango and banana fruit ripening plant shortly. The proposed plant will ripen the fruits in an organic manner without the use of any chemicals or agents, he said.

Underlining the importance for the farmers to have a detailed Soil Test Report Card pertaining to their land, he said that the company has been procuring fruits and vegetables directly from the farmers, thus leaving no scope for middlemen.

Shanthakumar further said that the company will distribute a total of Rs. 2.84 lakh as bonus to the members of the company out of the profits earned.

Referring to non-clearance of sugarcane growers dues by sugar factories, Shanthakumar maintained that the sugar factories owed over Rs. 4,000 crore to cane suppliers till now.

Lashing out at the State Government for failure to clear sugarcane dues, he said that the Association would soon deliberate on the ways to pressurise the government over cane dues.

Soil Scientists K.G. Rajanna, B.S. Harish, Faculty at Horticulture College, Mysuru, T.V. Gopinath, Deputy Director, Raitha Mithra and others were present.