Salooni farmers take up marigold cultivation

Balkrishan Prashar

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Dalhousie, March 11

The cultivation of wild marigold flower under the Aroma Mission is helping Salooni region farmers become self-reliant. The Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, has implemented the project in coordination with the agriculture and horticulture departments.

Progressive farmer Prahlad Bhagt, who hails from Suri gram panchayat of Salooni subdivision in Chamba district, is one of the successful flower growers in the region.

As the damage was caused to traditional agricultural produce by wild animals, the initiative was taken with the cultivation of wild marigold at Pakhed village in Suri panchayat. The Chamunda Krishak Society, Chakoli-Meda, has, at present, over 400 farmers in the group.

Bhagt says, “I have been working on wild marigold and some herbs for about 15 years. Since 2012, I have solely focused on the cultivation of wild marigold and started earning income by extracting oil. The IHBT had set up an oil distillation unit for our society.”

The concentrated oil of wild marigold sells locally at Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 per kg. He is earning an annual income of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh from wild marigold farming, Bhagt says.

The district administration signed an MoU with the CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, in 2021 to promote the cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants, besides providing technical information, plants, distillation units and market for the sale of finished products to the local farmers.

Salooni Horticulture Development Officer Dr Anil Dogra says the setting up of oil distillation unit at Pakhed village has encouraged farmers to cultivate wild marigold.

The Chamunda Krishak Society has produced about 250 kg oil over the past three years. The Palampur institute had established 13 intensive oil distillation units at different places in the district, he added.