5:53 pm

February 14, 2011

There is a Kisan Mela from 3-5 March at IARI Pusa, Delhi and HUDA flower show at Leisure Valley,Sect.29 Gurgaon on 5th and 6th March.
I have never been to kisan mela so can not tell you what to expect but at HUDA flower show, one can get seeds, plants and other garden accessories at resonable prices. Many nearby nurseries from Delhi also participate in this show.
Happy gardening
Green enthu
8:35 pm

November 9, 2010

10:40 am

February 14, 2011

Hi Satish
You are right. IARI site does not mention about mela.They will probably do it after it finishes successfully.
Any way, when I went to balaji, the owner mentioned about it. I found it on one of the tender notice IARI had floated for this mela which had mentioned date and venue but no time. There was another site related to agriculure and flashnews which have mentioned it. Agriculture minister Mr. Pawar is inaugrating it. If you happen to go there pl post your feed back.
Happy gardening
Greeen enthu
5:54 pm

November 9, 2010

Hi Greenenthu:
I called IARI & was informed that the Krishi Vigyan Mela started today. It is on till the 5th as reported by you and the timings are 9.30 to 1700 hrs each day. I will try my best to visit it tomorrow and if I do, will surely post my observations. Regards.
Satish
9:18 am

February 14, 2011

9:01 pm

November 9, 2010

greenenthu said:
Hi Satish
Thanks for the accurate information.I will also try to make it since its not raining today.
Green enthu
Hi Greenenthu:
Don't go if you are still planning!! Its a disaster to say the least! A typical "Officialdom" event. More later. BTW I got the seeds for the Pusa Nanhe. Regards.
Satish
5:04 pm

November 9, 2010

Hi all of you!
After missing it for many years I finally managed to visit the "Krishi Vigyan Mela" at the IARI in New Delhi and the least I can say is that it was a REAL ANTICLIMAX !! Some stalls displayed agricultural produce from the farms of the IARI but the "clerical" staff there had no explanation regarding the availability and/or sources of seeds for the displayed vegetables. Most of the official stalls had only posters pasted in them !! Mostly there was no one to explain anything. At the floriculture stall, a very friendly lady could only help me with the telephone number of the director. Besides this I don't think she even knew what floriculture is. In the horticulture section, two semi-educated type of people were sitting and asking you to fill up some form if you wanted to order some fruit plants. I was lucky I could 'corner' a scientist there who hesitatingly answered some questions. In the stall of the IARI, Pusa, Bihara very nice and friendly person sold me Papaya seeds and beyond that he could only provide me with the telephone number of his director for any queries I might have had. Yes, there were some stalls of companies selling/producing seeds. At the IFFCO stall I was surprised by the low price of NPK 19:19:19 ! Rs. 90/= per kg. I am sure like me you are also paying much more in the market. You could buy pickles or have chaat or bhelpuri or swing on a mini giantwheel ofcourse. Thousands of people from all over northern India are being herded to this Mela by official agencies. I really wonder if we don't have a scam here too. It might be a Mela of sorts alright but surely has nothing to do with Krishi Vigyan or its dissemination or with any interaction between the scientists and the people who will really implement the results of the research at the IARI! A DAY WASTED is all I can say. Regards.
Satish
10:57 pm

February 14, 2011

Hi Satish
I am sorry to know about the mela affair. One of my friend who had gone also gave same feed back. But today I found HUDA flower show a small but usefull affair.
One can get fruits , flowers and foliage plants. Though I can not say any thing about price( you can bargain) but I saw lots of new flower varieties. One can pick up plants of mango/chickoo/sweet lime/kinoo/lemon/ anaar etc.
Besides this, there are many indoor and out door plants. Hybrid varieties of Hibiscus/roses. But again there is no one to impart knowledge .
There are plants of clove and bay leaf also for sale!!
Green enthu
4:24 pm

November 9, 2010

11:20 pm
May 1, 2010

Hi Satish,
Thanks a lot for the report.
Its sad to hear that you went with all your enthusiasm only to return disappointed. Being a country with agriculture as backbone. There should be more interaction between the scientists and farmers.
Trust me! I totally can understand and also can relate to this. Every year, In Bangalore, lalbagh flower show is conducted. 1000s rush to the venue from all over india. What awaits them is same as what you went through. Lots of stalls trying to push their stuff to us. Extremely overpriced plants. Saddest part is, most of the seeds one buys wont even come true to type mentioned in the packet.
Its just a commercial venture and stalls get to make lots of money and this time it was a record. Govt got more than they expected.
The shops you see here are handicrafts, incenses, "Organic" fertilizers. One thing of interest is "Pepino". I came to know about this plant in one of the seed catalogs. I was so surprised to see this plant in a pot with lots of fruits. The yielding fruit was a crowd puller and I went to the guy who sells and asked him the price per plant in polybag.. Rs 50 was the answer. I ask him "one five?" no.. "five zero". I was ok with that. Its his shop and he can say his price. But next he went on to say how great it is for diabetes and high blood pressure. After he finished talking he got busy and started selling his plants. People were buying .. I didn't agree with this fact and that made few people question his theory and they asked for some literature and they left.
I decided to not go again for a flower show..
gg
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