136 ha under flower cultivation in Chamba

Balkrishan Prashar

Chamba, September 18

Around 136 hectares in Chamba district have been brought under floriculture and 400 quintals of wild marigold flower seed have been made available to farmers and orchardists for the purpose.

Sanjay Kumar, Director of the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, had a video conference with Deputy Commissioner DC Rana yesterday. He said that necessary steps were being taken to promote flower production and ‘heeng’ cultivation in the district.

The Horticulture Department and the district rural development agency had been directed to inspect 13 units set up for the distillation of marigold flowers at different places so that farmers did not face any problem, Rana said.

He said that more than eight quintals of marigold flower seed had been made available to the farmers and orchardists in Bharmour, Tissa and Salooni. Besides, about 500 ‘heeng’ plants had also been given to the farmers in the Holi tribal region.

The Deputy Commissioner reviewed the work being done regarding ‘heeng’ cultivation in Pangi tribal subdivision and said that 1,000 plants received from the IHBT were being sent to the Pangi valley soon.

For the cultivation of lavender, farmers had been selected in Churah. A requisition for 10,000 saplings was being sent to the IHBT during the current season.

Rana directed the department concerned to take appropriate action in view of the possibility of the cultivation of kala zeera, walnut and ‘thangi’ (hazelnut) in the Pangi valley for commercial purpose.