Work on Rs 14-crore areca nut research centre in Raigad's Diveagar to begin soon: Minister

Mumbai, Aug 26 (PTI) Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane on Tuesday directed his department officials to expedite the work on the areca nut research centre proposed to be set up at Diveagar in Raigad district with an outlay of Rs 14 crore.

At a review meeting held at the Mantralaya, the state secretariat here, Bharane said the research centre, to be set up in Shrivardhan taluka, will help local farmers access high-quality saplings and benefit from research on high-yielding and dwarf varieties of areca nut.

The research centre will also focus on intercropping techniques suited to local climatic conditions, propagation through nurseries, employment generation, village development planning and technology dissemination.

The minister asked Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, to fast-track the tender process so that building construction and related activities can begin without any delay.

Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, who was also present at the meeting, said Diveagar is a prominent tourist destination, and the new research centre will not only support farmers but also attract visitors.

The research facility would play a crucial role in promoting the region's premium areca nut variety, making it widely available to cultivators, she added. PTI MR NP