‘Udhayam’ agri-entrepreneurship meet draws huge crowd

The third edition of ‘Udhayam’, an agri-entrepreneurship meet and exhibition organised by the Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kozhikode, witnessed a steady turnout at the institute campus on Thursday (February 5).

The expo aims to provide a market-facing platform for value-added farm products. A wide range of spices, agricultural produce, and processed foods are showcased, with the participation of around 100 micro and small entrepreneurs from Kozhikode and neighbouring areas.

Manoj P. Samuel, executive director, Centre for Water Resources Development and Management, opened the exhibition. R. Dinesh, Director, IISR, presided over the inaugural event. S. Saji, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the Kerala Institute for Entrepreneurship Development, and councillor Sajitha Gafoor were present.

As part of the programme, 14 non-exclusive licences for the production of improved varieties of black pepper, turmeric, nutmeg, and cinnamon developed by IISR were handed over to farmers and nursery operators. The sale of planting materials, seeds and organic inputs developed by IISR and Kerala Agricultural University was also held.

The organisers said the event turned out to be a good platform for fruitful interaction between farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers, with locally developed crop varieties and agricultural technologies drawing considerable attention.