Mandi farmers benefit from diversification

Mandi, October 7

Farmers of Chalahar Gulad village in Mandi district have increased their annual income under the HP Crop Diversification Project (HPCDP) running in collaboration with JICA.

Navneet Sood, District Project Manager, JICA, Mandi, said the project was being supported through JICA’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan. The project was implemented in five district — Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Una — to increase the production of vegetables through crop diversification. In Mandi district, there were 62 sub projects covering 1,261.46 hectares with assured irrigation. The ongoing flow irrigation scheme under gram panchayat Naun in Mandi had favourable conditions for the cultivation of cash crops, like tomato, French bean, garlic, cauliflower and peas on commercial scale, he maintained.

“After the intervention of HPCDP JICA, various extension activities like training programmes and field demonstrations were undertaken regarding cultivation of different vegetables,” Sood said. He said: “The beneficiaries of the HPCDP, who undertook various extension activities and training efficiently, benefited and increased vegetable productivity remarkably.”

Sood said 142 farmers undertook the sub-project and grew tomato crop in 34.20 hectares during kharif 2020. They were producing on an average 140-150 crate per bigha. The farmers fetch a very good price for their produce. — TNS