Tribune News Service
Patiala, June 17
To promote diversification in agriculture to help farmers, the state government has decided to establish a Guava Research Estate is on 25 acre of land at village Wajidpur at a cost of Rs 4 cr. The state government has already released grant of Rs 1.25 crore as its first installment.
The estate will contain the best of guava varieties including Allahbadi safeda, Lucknow 49, Shweta, Punjab Safeda, Punjab Kiran, Punjab Arka Amuliya, Punjab Pink and others. Guava cultivators will be given varieties suitable to their soil type at most genuine prices. The farmers will also be imparted technical knowledge and all other aspects of guava cultivation.
Deputy Director of Horticulture Department, Dr Swaran Singh Maan, said, under the National Horticulture Mission, the government was coming up with a guava nursery at village Wajidpur. “The nursery aims at increasing per acre yield of guava, increase income of per unit land, prepare the best quality of planting material, increase area under guava cultivation, provide marketing facilities in remote markets and promote industries meant for guava processing,” he said.