Consider agri diversification as means to increase income, farmers told

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 19

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) on Monday organised a kisan mela at the KVK, Rauni, that saw participation of a large number of farmers.

A series of kharif melas are also being organised under the theme of decreasing input costs, conserving water along with judicious use of fertilisers and adopting subsidiary occupations to make agriculture more profitable for farmers.

Dr GS Nanda, member, board of management, PAU, inaugurated the mela and urged the farmers to consider agricultural diversification as a means to increase farm income.

He appreciated the large-scale participation of farmers and their interest in various stalls and exhibitions put up by the university.

While motivating them to adopt subsidiary occupations, Dr Nanda suggested floriculture as a profitable venture. He also informed the farmers about the preference of durum wheat (being sold as MP wheat) among urban consumers as compared to the generally available wheat.

While talking about the apni mandi concept, Dr Nanda appealed to the farmers to take up direct marketing of produce to the consumers, thereby eliminating the need of middle men and thus helping increase their income.

He also urged them to become familiar with packaging and processing of products and especially consider selling wheat by packaging in the form of wheat-based products such as daliya, semolina and wheat flour. He cautioned the farmers on environment conservation and appealed for proper management of rice straw in the next season.

Dr BS Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, in his presidential address thanked the farmers for their trust and deep connection with the university and its recommendations.

He pointed towards considering increasing profitability in agriculture as compared to the Central Government’s focus on doubling farm income.

“Punjab already has peak productivity in food grains and has the highest per capita income in the country. To further increase the income, the farming community must look at mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, dairy and horticulture as income generating sources. Punjab must look at increasing the rural household income from these sources, which form a major income source in other states of the country,” he added.

Divulging details about the prevailing water crisis, Dr Dhillon called for judicious water usage by using various university recommended techniques and technologies such as the laser land leveller and sowing early maturing rice varieties. The proper management of the paddy straw  was another highlight of  the address.

Dr NS Bains, director, research, briefed about new varieties recommended by PAU for the oncoming kharif season.

Earlier Dr JS Mahal, director, extension education, in his welcome address exhorted the farmers to keep up their faith and interaction with university experts and adopt university recommended techniques and technologies as they undergo rigorous research before they were recommended to the farmers.