Photo for representation. Tribune photo
Chandigarh, September 17
The government has undertaken a pilot project under which residue-free basmati has been cultivated in Chogawan block of Amritsar district. Residue-free practices entail minimal or no use of chemicals.
Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said they had purposely chosen Chogawan block to carry out the project due to this area being fallen in the basin of the Ravi and having favourable climatic conditions to nurture the most aromatic long-grain basmati making it export quality produce.
“Basmati has a great export potential as most of the produce in the region is being exported to the Arab, European and Middle-Eastern countries,” he said, adding that basmati had been exported to more than 60 countries of which Amritsar district alone exported Basmati around Rs 9,000 crore during past year.