Farmers urged to grow fruits requiring less water
To help farmers break from the cycle of traditional cash crops, efforts are being made to motivate them to grow fruits, which need less water for irrigation and have increased demand in the market.
The traditional crops had, at times, failed the farmers due to inadequate availability of canal water, besides adverse weather fallout.
The Dr JC Bakshi Regional Research Station (RRS), Abohar, recently organised a training programme “Production and propagation of arid fruits” under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) scheme.
The training programme, held under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and All India Coordinated Research Project on Arid Zone Fruits at PAU Regional Research Station here, benefited the participants through theoretical tutorials and training.
Anil Kumar Sangwan, Director of Research Station, awakened farmers regarding the importance and scope of cultivation of arid fruits like date palm, jamun, ber and aonla crop in the arid irrigated region of Punjab.
Anil Kumar Kamra, incharge of AICRP on Arid Zone Fruits, demonstrated techniques like pollination in date palm, training and pruning practices, propagation of jamun crop and multiplication of offshoots in dates. The participants were also made aware of the fruit processing technology.
Parkash Mahala explained the scope of vegetables crops and techniques for production of nurseries in arid irrigated regions of Punjab.
The Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), and the RRS, Abohar, also organised a one-day training programme on “Management of insect-pests and diseases of kinnow mandarin”.
Experts made the farmers aware of various diseases affecting kinnow production and their management. Krishan Kumar and Subhash Chander highlighted that the judicious use of water and correct pruning can prove helpful in reducing the incidence of diseases. JK Arora and RRS director Anil Sangwan urged trainees to utilise resources judiciously.
