Lahaul-Spiti farmers trained in ''heeng'' cultivation

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“To improve the livelihood of farmers and utilise the land, the institute is making an endeavour to introduce asafoetida, which is suitable for cultivation in cold desert conditions.” – Sanjay Kumar, director, CSIR-IHBT

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, September 22

To enhance 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 asafoetida (‘heeng’). As many as 186 farmers have been trained so far.

Sanjay Kumar, director, CSIR-IHBT, said, “The institute has a centre (Centre for High Altitude Biology, Ribling) at Lahaul, where farmers grow potato and peas, and most of the land is barren. To improve the livelihood of farmers and utilise the land, the institute is making an endeavour to introduce asafoetida, which is suitable for cultivation in cold desert conditions.”

He said Lahaul-Spiti was the first district in India, which started cultivation of asafoetida. “The institute introduced asafoetida seeds from Iran and Afghanistan through the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR), New Delhi, in 2018,” he said.

“Germination is a constraint in Ferula Assa-foetida due to seed dormancy. A series of experiments were done 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 said.

The institute conducted experiments under the vigil of the ICAR-NBPGR, at the Centre for High Altitude Biology, Ribling, a research centre of the CSIR-IHBT at an altitude of 11,500 ft in Lahaul-Spiti, said the director.

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

The director said, “India imports about 1,540 tonnes of raw asafoetida annually from Afghanistan, Iran and Uzbekistan, and spends approximately Rs942 crore per year. This is necessary to make India self-sufficient. Cold desert areas such as Lahaul-Spiti, Ladakh, parts of Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh are suitable for cultivation of asafoetida.”