Considering the global scenario in the post WTO regime, the scientists should work for developing new technology, so that qualitatively superior vegetables, flowers, spices and other aromatic produces could be grown to compete in the international markets, Mr Arumugham told the 12th Scientific Workers' Conference here.

Inaugurating the conference, the minister said that the farmers should be educated on post harvest technologies, besides encouraging them to grow more export oriented produces, to lift them financially.

He also appealed to the scientists to solve the problems of farmers growing flowers and herbal plants.

In his key note address, the State Agriculture Secretary, N Athimoolam, said that a plan of action was under consideration of the government to develop waste lands in southern districts, based on the report of a high power committee.

Saying that there was remote possibility to develop the present cultivated area in the state, Athimoolam said that it was proposed to develop about 10 lakh hectare wastelands in the coming 10 to 15 years.

Athimoolam also said that the government had evolved a scheme by which cold storage facilities would be provided in seven places, including one at Uttanchatram, at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore, by the end of the financial year.

In his special address, Mr Surjit K Chaudhary, Commissioner, Horticulture and Plantation Crops, called for improvement in the supply of quality plantation materials.

He said that the scientists should concentrate in developing more hybrid seeds, to enable the farmers to achieve higher yield.

Emphasising the need for the best use of biodiversity and climatic conditions, Chaudhary said that use of biotechnology was the best answer for achieving good productivity and durability of the produces.

Though the country has achieved food security by producing more than the required amount, nutrition security was still a persisting problem, he said.

In his address, AD Jayem Pandian, member, Board of Management, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, appealed to the minister to form a task force of officials to study the WTO agreement, which would have a tremendous impact on the plantation and horticulture sector.

He said that the developed countries were deliberately kept the bound rates high, for value added products, like instant tea and coffee at fairly high levels, so as to protect their own domestic industry and to dissuade developing countries from exporting such processed items, he said.

Mr Pandian suggested that the government should try to get the bound rates for coffee green beans, cardamom, pepper and other horticulture crops increased, not withstanding the country's efforts, at the next round of WTO negotiations.

(PTI)