'Go for fruit crops to save depleting groundwater'

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Nawanshahr, May 16

The peach growers in Balachaur sub-division have been earning well per acre and contributing widely in saving the depleting groundwater.

During a visit to the peach and plum farms in Balachaur and adjoining areas, a team of the Horticulture Department led by Director Horticulture Shailender Kaur said since it was a mountainous land, the climate of the Balachaur and Saroya is more conducive to peach farming. She said area under peach and plum was continuously increasing in Nawanshahr and with peach farmers are earning handsome income from the fruit crops.

According to the Director, the fruit crops would not only save the depleting ground water level, but would also bring more farmers out of cycle of traditional wheat and paddy crops.

Horticulture Development Officer Dr Rajesh Kumar said that soil in Balachaur was most favourable to grow peach. “More farmers have now been coming forward to adopt fruit crop,” he said.

Assistant Director Dr Jagdish Singh said under the National Horticulture Mission, 50-per cent subsidy was being offered to the farmers for setting up garden, shed net, and poly house. He added that the increasing trend towards crop diversification is the need of the hour.

Deputy Director Dr Danesh Kumar appealed to the farmers that the Horticulture Department had brought several schemes for the farmers and they must take maximum advantage of these schemes to promote diversification of crop.