CSIR-IHBT technologies to boost farm income

Our Correspondent

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Palampur, February 27

A workshop on “Agriculture diversification through CSIR-IHBT technologies” was conducted in association with the DRDA, Chamba, and the state Horticulture Department at Chamba yesterday. More than 90 progressive farmers, unemployed youths, officials of the DRDA, Horticulture and Agriculture departments, BDOs and NGOs participated in the workshop. Farmers were made aware about the importance of agro and process technologies, economic value and market linkages.

Dr Sanjay Kumar, Director, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, said that there are various technologies of the institute such as agricultural diversification with medicinal, aromatic plants and floriculture crops; precision agriculture with hydroponics/aeroponics technology; food processing technologies; Vitamin D2 enriched Shiitake mushroom cultivation and processing; compost production suitable for cold regions and waste to wealth.

Dr Rakesh Kumar, Senior Principal Scientist, said that the IHBT had developed several agricultural and process technologies of high value aromatic crops such as wild marigold, damask rose, lavender, rosemary scented geranium, mushkbala etc. and the essential oil obtained from these crops was utilised in perfumery, food, flavouring, pharmaceutical and agrochemical industry. The essential oil market was expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 8.7 per cent and would reach US dollar 11,188 million by 2022.

Dr Bhavya Bhargav, Senior Scientist (Floriculture), gave an overview of the floriculture sector and agrotechnologies of important floriculture crops suitable for Chamba district. He said that the global floriculture business was growing at the rate of 10 per cent per annum. The domestic Indian market was growing at the rate of 25 per cent per year.