Lahaul farmers trained in ‘heeng’ cultivation

ibune News Service

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Mandi, September 29

To strengthen the economy of farmers in the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti, the CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, is encouraging them to cultivate ‘heeng’. As many as 186 farmers have been trained so far.

Sanjay Kumar, director, CSIR-IHBT, says, “The institute has the Centre for High Altitude Biology, Ribling at Lahaul, where farmers grow potato and peas on mainly barren land. To improve the livelihood of farmers and utilise the land, the institute is making an endeavour to introduce ‘heeng’, which is suitable for cultivation in cold desert conditions”.

He says that Lahaul and Spiti is the first district in India to begin ‘heeng’ cultivation. “The institute introduced heeng seeds from Iran and Afghanistan through the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR), New Delhi, in 2018,” he adds.

“Germination is a constraint in Ferula heeng due to seed dormancy. A series of experiments were conducted in the laboratory using different temperature treatments to standardise seed germination. Growth hormones and seed germination of 60-70 per cent was achieved for raising planting material,” he says.

The institute conducted experiments under the vigil of the ICAR-NBPGR, at the Centre for High Altitude Biology, Ribling, at an altitude of 11,500 ft in Lahaul and Spiti, says the director.

Seedlings were planted at Kwaring village in Lahaul and Spiti on October 15, 2020. Till now, 12,800 plants have been distributed to the farmers of the district with the help of the Agriculture Department covering about 1.5 hectares in Keylong, Belling, Sasura Gompa, Madgram, Salgran, Gondhla, Triloknath, Chheling and Kaza.

The director says, “India imports about 1,540 tonnes of raw ‘heeng’ annually from Afghanistan, Iran and Uzbekistan for around ? 942 crore per year. In order to make India self-sufficient cold desert areas such as Lahaul and Spiti, Ladakh, parts of Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh are suitable for the cultivation of heeng”.