Lalitpur, June 9:

The fifth seminar on horticulture kicked off here today with a call to link horticulture with industry for rapid development.

The fifth seminar is being organised by the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, National Academy of Science and Technology and the Nepal Horticulture Society.

The seminar will also focus on varietal evaluation, integrated nutrient management and production of seasonal, off-seasonal and organic vegetables. According to Chiranjivi Regmi, member-secretary of the organising committee, "Farmers produce a lot of horticultural products, but we are failing to supply them to industries."

Food security and nutritional security will also figure in the two-day meeting. "We are gearing up for the creation of a new Nepal, but are unaware of the food crisis. Special programmes must be conducted to make people aware of security of micro-nutrients," said Dr Nanda Prasad Shrestha, executive director, NARC.

"We must opt for commercialisation of the farm sector. The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives are preparing to work

towards this end," said FNCCI president Kush Kumar Joshi.