3-day training on protected cultivation of veggies ends

Jalandhar, August 30

A three-day training course (from August 28-30) on Protected Cultivation of Vegetables concluded at Kartarpur here on Friday. It was organised by the Department of Horticulture at Centre of Excellence for Vegetables (CEV) at Kartarpur. As many as 54 farmers from 15 districts participated.

In the concluding session of the training course, Dr Narinder Pal Kalsi, Deputy Director (Horticulture), Jalandhar, encouraged the farmers to diversify the area from the traditional wheat paddy cycle to the new crops, especially “Protected Cultivation of Vegetables” under Polyhouse & Net house.

He said efforts are being made to increase the farmers’ income by producing safe to eat vegetables with minimal use of chemicals and protect the environment and natural resources. He motivated the farmers to adopt horticulture crops to fetch more returns per unit area. Cultivation of vegetables under protected structures is more beneficial for small and marginal farmers as compared to open field cultivation, farmers were asked.

Dr Daljit Singh Gill, Assistant Director Horticulture-cum-Controlling Officer, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur, advised small and marginal farmers to install walk-in-tunnel and net houses of 1 kanal (500 sq mtr) which will be a good option for them. “Fifty per cent financial assistance is being provided by the government under the National Horticulture Mission (MIDH),” he said.