``It all started on an experimental basis. The dairy farm was set up to produce organic manure and the dairy was further expanded to produce bio-gas that could generate power sufficient electricity required for the daily needs at the farm as well as the office building, making it a grand success,’’ says Mr J.Sajeev,
Agriculture Officer at the Sugarcane Seed Farm at Pandalam that had bagged the Harita Keerthi Award of the State Government in 2010.
Mr Sajeev who is the driving spirit behind this successful venture of the Agriculture department has been serving the farm since the past seven years.
The farm spread across 10.96 ha of land at Kadakkad near Pandalm on the Pandalam-Kaipattoor Road is known for its organic farming of vegetables, plantains, coconut seed farm, sugarcane farm and modern dairy unit.
This is, perhaps , the only of its kind that houses a modern dairy attached to a sugarcane farm under the State Agriculture department in the whole State.
The electricity required for the farm and its office has been generated with the bio-gas plant attached to the dairy unit. The dairy houses a total of 30 improved varieties of cattle, including two Vechoor Cows.
The organic jaggery balls produced at the farm has become a big hit in the local market. The jiggery balls have been kept on sale at the Agro Super Bazar of the Agro-Industries Corporation in Thiruvananthapuram and Kottarakkara, says Mr Sajeev.
There is a proposal to elevate the farm to the status of an Integrated Farming Demonstration Centre, Mr Sajeev said.
