As fad for exotic veggies catches on, KVK helps farmers diversify

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, November 17

With the rising demand for exotic vegetables in metropolitan cities and tourist hotspots, scientists at Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, are increasingly promoting the cultivation of vegetables such as snow peas, lettuce, pok choi, kale, courgettes, cherry tomatoes and seedless cucumbers through Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Shimla.

“Recently, there has been a shift in consumer demand, which has also affected the horticulture sector. Agricultural scientists have duly recognised the corresponding shift in the cropping pattern and the need to diversify,” said Vice Chancellor Dr Parvinder Kaushal.

For the past three years, KVK scientists have been working on introducing and promoting the cultivation of various exotic vegetables in the district. Exotic vegetables such as snow peas, lettuce, pok choi, kale, courgettes, cherry tomatoes and seedless cucumbers have been introduced and trials at farmers’ fields were yielding encouraging results.

Dr Ashok Thakur, vegetable scientist at KVK, Rohru, is conducting trials at different elevations in various seasons for selection of suitable production area and planting season of these vegetables.

He said among the several diversification initiatives, the off-season cultivation of snow peas has been successfully demonstrated at one farmer’s field and the results have been highly encouraging. The trials conducted in the field of Rakesh Dulta, an innovative farmer of Sheel village, Rohru, have resulted in productivity of about seven quintals per bigha for snow peas cultivar “Mithi Phali”.

The market returns of this high-quality produce fetched between Rs200-Rs300 per kg at Azadpur vegetable market, Delhi. Buoyed with the results of the trials, Dulta is now encouraging his fellow farmers to adopt commercial cultivation of snow peas and other exotic vegetables in the region.

“Snow pea is valued for its edible pods having various nutraceutical values and is highly cherished as a salad. Lack of parchment layer on the inner wall of pods makes it fit for raw consumption. The pods can be cooked as well and they are a good source of vitamins A, B6 and C. They are an excellent source of dietary fibre as they contain folate and minerals such as potassium,” Dr Thakur said.

He said: “There are a plenty of exotic vegetables that can be successfully grown in middle and higher hills and can be a promising intervention for enhancing farmers’ income. These crops are best suited for intercropping with apple and other fruit crops.”

Dr NS Kaith, in-charge, KVK, Shimla, said the diversification of apple-growing regions with short duration high-value cash crops could become a boon to the economy of the hill state.

Lauding the scientists’ efforts, the VC urged them to encourage more farmers to adopt such diversification strategies that would not only reduce dependence on one crop but also supplement farm income.

Rohru snow peas fetch Rs 300/kg in Delhi

• Snow peas, lettuce, pok choi, kale, courgettes, cherry tomatoes and seedless cucumbers have been introduced and trials at farmers’ fields are yielding encouraging results
• Dr Ashok Thakur, vegetable scientist at KVK, Rohru, said the off-season cultivation of snow peas in the field of an innovative farmer of Sheel village has produced around seven quintal per bigha for snow peas cultivar ‘mithi phali’
• High-quality produce fetches between Rs 200- Rs 300 per kg at Azadpur vegetable market, Delhi