The Regional Agriculture Research Station at Ambalavayal in the district is gearing up to host the third edition of the National Agriculture Fiesta and the second edition of Poopoly, a State-level flower show.
The programme, organised by Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) in association with National Rose Society and various Union government organisations, will be held at the research station from January 20 to 31. It is aimed at imparting the latest agriculture technologies to the grass-roots level.
“We have arranged the 12-day programme to sensitise the farmers to the vast commercial potential of horticulture and floriculture in the district,” P. Rajendran, Associate Director of Research, RARS, Ambalavayal, told The Hindu . Classes and seminars on agriculture and allied subjects would be held in connection with the programme. All India Radio, a programme partner, would air the programmes through 30 radio stations in the country, he said.
A rose garden with more than 1,800 varieties of rose plants, including plants imported from Holland and France, set up on 2.5 acres of land, would be the highlight of the flower show.
A 10-acre permanent garden would be set up on the RARS premises for the show. As part of it, nearly 10,000 varieties of Dahlia plants on three acres of land and 30 varieties of Gladiolus plants on 1.5 acres had been planted, he said.
A ‘Moon’ garden, a two-acre garden only for white flowers, would be another attraction, he said.
Various exotic flowering plants, including 150 varieties of Gerbera, many varieties of Alstroemeria, 136 varieties of orchids, and ornamental melons, would also be on display.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/national-agri-fiesta-at-ambalavayal-in-january/article6650336.ece