Chamba dist, IHBT to promote flower, asafoetida cultivation

Our Correspondent

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Chamba, June 9

The aspirational Chamba district signed an MoU with the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in February this year with the aim of increasing people’s interest in cash crops under the agricultural diversity programme for increasing the income of farmers and orchardists.

Through a video conference, Deputy Commissioner of Chamba DC Rana recently held discussions about this programme with IHBT Director Dr Sanjay Kumar.

“Initially, 300 kg of wild marigold flower seeds have been made available in the identified clusters of Bhattiyat subdivision in the district, which is being grown in 45 to 50 hectares of land,” the DC said.

He said for the production of lavender and German chamomile flowers, farmers of Bharmour, Tissa and Salooni regions had been identified under the ‘Mahek’ scheme and online training to officials was being imparted by the Agriculture Department to increase their yield.

He said the climate of Pangi tribal subdivision had been found suitable for the cultivation of asafoetida, adding that the cultivation of saffron was also being promoted in Poolan, Ghared and Supa villages of Bharmour tribal subdivision.

The DC urged various flower cooperative societies and other organisations to come forward to encourage people and promote beekeeping business along with flower production.

To implement a joint action plan of this diversity programme, the DC impressed upon the departments of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, rural development and forests to work in coordination with each other and utilise their expertise, thereby bringing pragmatic results in this programme.