SGPC to expand organic food venture at shrines

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 18

Keen to serve chemical-free langar to devotees at the Golden Temple and other gurdwaras under its control, the SGPC has decided to expand its organic farming activities.

SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said Rs 9.04 crore had been allocated in the current budget, adding that the area under cultivation of organically grown vegetables would be increased.

“Our aim is to use organic vegetables at all gurdwaras. The shrines that possess more than five-acre land have been told to cultivate vegetables and pulses on at least one acre in an organic manner — to start with,” he said.

At present, onion, carrot, peas, radish, cabbage, spinach, fenugreek seed (methi) and now fruits are being grown majorly at the Satlani Sahib Gurdwara farm.

The produce caters to the Golden Temple’s kitchen, which receives 10 quintals of vegetables every 3-4 days. However, it’s not enough to meet the requirement to prepare langar for 60,000-70,000 people daily. So, the purchase is also made from the market. Farmers from nearby areas donate freshly harvested vegetables.

The SGPC-run gurdwaras own 13,000 acres in Punjab, Haryana and HP.

SGPC additional secretary Diljit Singh Bedi stated that on an experimental basis, around 40 acres at Gurdwara Gurusar Satlani Sahib were earmarked as a model organic farm in 2015 and various varieties of vegetables were grown on six acres. Next year, seven acres were added to the project.

“In August 2017, a resolution was passed at the executive body meeting, according to which 15 gurdwaras were told to cultivate organic vegetables. Now, 18 more have been told to follow suit,” he said.

The SGPC is being assisted by Punjab Agro Industries Corporation Limited (PAIC) to gain expertise in soil testing and experimenting with new vegetables.

“Recently, 1,500 saplings of special guava were planted on Satlani Sahib land. Instead of pesticides, we are spraying neem patta, lassi, cow urine etc. on the crop, as advised by experts,” said Bedi.