Gujarat allots 2,500 acres to stevia farmer from state

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 4

The Gujarat Government has allotted 2,500 acres in Amreli and Gabat region to advocate-turned-farmer Rajpal Singh Gandhi to grow herbal sweetener stevia. Rajpal, who has made a name for himself in the farming sector, grows stevia on 200 acres in Pojewal, near Balachaur in Nawanshahr district. Stevia is considered highly beneficial for diabetics because it is free of carbohydrates and calories.

“I have already signed an agreement with the Gujarat Government to grow stevia on 2,500 acres,” said Rajpal Singh. He said farmers, who own up to 10 acres, should begin growing stevia as it was profitable. He said the crop could be easily grown in Kandi belt along the Shivalik hills as conditions there were suitable.

“Earlier, we faced problems marketing stevia because there was no system to process it. But now its processing has begun and the herbal sugar prepared from it is in high demand in the domestic and the international markets,” said Rajpal’s son Amandeep.

The National Horticulture Board is promoting stevia farming. It offers 40 per cent subsidy on it. The Centre offers a soft loan at 1 per cent interest rate to those who want to set up a processing plant.

“With tissue culture labs, poly and net houses, machines imported from the US to grow stevia, our farm at Pojewal is modern. We also have our own processing plant,” said Amandeep. Herbal sugar is high in demand in Canada. He said big companies that prepare sweets use stevia herbal sugar in their products and its leaves in green tea. Dr Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Commissioner, Agriculture, says more farmers should adopt stevia farming. “The crop consumes less water as compared to the conventional paddy and wheat crops. It thus augurs well for the state reeling under falling water table,” he added.