Sirmaur’s garlic identified under ‘1 District, 1 Product’

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, August 28

Sirmaur’s garlic crop has been identified under the Centrally sponsored ‘One District, One Product’ scheme to promote micro small and medium sector enterprises (MSMEs).

There is the maximum production of garlic in Sangrah and Paonta Sahib blocks, although it is grown in other areas also. At least 3,734 hectare is under garlic production and 57,205 metric tonne (MT) of crop was produced in the district in 2019-2020.

Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, RK Pruthi said a steep rise had been registered in its production owing to its high return. It was grown over 1,960 hectare in 2017-18 and 2,020 hectare in 2018-19. The production had increased from 30,020 MT in 2017-18 to 30,939 MT in 2018-19.

“Nearly 17 bighas, owned by the Horticulture Department, have been identified near Dadahu where garlic processing units can be established. The area can emerge as a processing hub for the district and entrepreneurs, who can invest for garlic processing plants,” he said.

Pruthi said ginger production had also witnessed an increase in Sirmaur in the last few years. As against 1,415 hectare in 2017-18, the area under ginger production has expanded to 1,450 hectare in 2018-19 and to 1,500 hectares in 2019-20. The production has grown from 16,500 MT in 2017-18 to 17,695 in 2018-19 and 16,650 in 2019-20. Both crops are sold to as far as Tamil Nadu given their superior quality.

The DC said officials were now working on constituting farmer producer organisations that could help secure loans under National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to further boost the production of these cash crops. “Experts will be hired from the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, to guide farmers for cultivating key varieties of these crops under technical guidance,” said Pruthi.

Given the potential of both crops, several youths who came back to the district following the pandemic had also initiated the cultivation of ginger and garlic in the Renuka Ji block, said Prashant, a farmer.