HP to built its own indigenous seeds bank
Himachal Pradesh govt will launch Rs 550.00 Lakh cost an ambitious program to conserve indigenous seeds varieties in order to promote traditional organic crops, boost nutrition and protect the environment in the state said Virender Kanwar Agriculture Minister here today
The state govt will launch ” Swarn Jayanti Paramparagat Beej Suraksha & Samvardhan Yojna” under State Sponsored Scheme in district Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Kinnaur, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Sirmour , Lahaul & Spiti & Una during the year 2022-23 to enhance the nutritional profile of several crops by preserving and reintroducing traditional agricultural varieties.
The state govt will cover 2100 ha additional area during 2022-23 under open-pollinated and local varieties viz, Wheat, Ginger, turmeric, Garlic, Vegetables, Pulses & Potato crops etc. to diversify the cropping pattern and introduce native seed varieties of vegetables, oilseeds, pulses, Wheat and spice, etc. to help farmers get better at traditional and agroecological farming practices said Sh Virender Kanwar Agriculure Minister here today .
The state govt will organizes seed production through registered grower/Government farm & State Agriculture Universities to promote” Vocal for Local” concept in the state
At present Total Seed Requirement for major food crops is around 3, 81,790 Qtls.while around 1,50,000 Qtls HYV Seeds ( About 39 % of total requirement) is produced in the state while rest is procured by the department from Hydrabad based companies,NAFED, IFFCO, KRIBHCO,NHRDF etc. and state govt aims to meet total seed requirements from local production under the scheme .
At present traditional crops are grown in around 40,000 ha area with traditional seed requirement of about 17,000 quintals of turmeric, 4000 quintal potato, 12000 Qtls wheat and 800 quintals of other vegetables which are supplied by local suppliers or private seed companies which may not be able to supply area-specific varieties and lacks in seed certification standards resulting in huge yield losses to poor farmers said Sh Virender Kanwar Agriculure Minister here today
The state will spend a sum of Rs. 265.00 lakh to organize frontline demonstration by providing high yielding varieties in an area of 2,100 Ha in the Vegetables, Spices & Pulses (viz; Okra, Cucumber, F. Bean, Potato, Turmeric, Ginger, Mash, Soyabean, Pea Rajmash and Kulthi in Kharif- season and Garlic, Gobhi Sarson, Toria, Spinach, Onion, Radish ,Broccoli & Wheat in Rabi Season growing in cluster of different District. Technology demonstration kits of critical inputs like fertilizers, pesticides and weedicides etc., would be supplied to the beneficiary farmers with the subsidy of Rs 15000/Ha for Okra, Cucumber, Spice, Soybean, Mash, Rajmash, Kulthi, Potato, F. Bean, Gobhi sarson, Pea, Spinach, Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Radish, Broccoli, Turmeric & Rs 10000/- hac for Wheat subject to range of each demonstation from of 0.10 Ha/ to 0.40 Hac/ Demonstration.
The state govt will distribute 38800 No of minikit free of cost to the farmers to popularize improved varieties amongst the small & marginal farmer’s .The Minikits comprises of Okra, Cucumber, Spice, Soybean, Mash, Rajmash, Kulthi, Potato, F. Bean, Gobhi sarson, Pea, Spinach, Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Radish , Broccoli Seed comprising of Rs 500/- kits. & Wheat Minikit @ Rs 400/-Kits .Out of total 38800 No minikits 22400 vegetable minikits , 6000 pulses minikits, and 10000 wheat seed kits will be provided by spending a sum of Rs 182.00 Lakhs under the scheme the minister said At present 687 .632 Hac. area during Kharif season and 3973.85 Hac area under Rabi season is under seed production in the state and department of Agriculture have set up laboratories at solan , palampur and mandi to test the seed crop for germination and other processes. At present Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Chandrmukhi potato seed varieties and HD-3086, HPW-360, WS-1080, PBW-725 etc. Wheat seed varieties are the most popular seed varieties being produced by the farmers .
The wheat seed is being produced in Solan, Sirmour, Una, Kangra, The potato seed is being produced in Lahaul Spiti , The Rajmash seed is being produced in Kinnaur, Ginger seed in sirmour while garlic seed is being produced in Kullu district of the state and many of those cultivating the traditional varieties see it as part of keeping their traditions alive said Sh Virender Kanwar Agriculure Minister here today
Total 12000 growers will be trained by farm experts on varied aspects on packing practices, post harvest management, marketing and value addition etc since most of the agricultural operations are also performed by the women farmers therefore, they will also be involved in training programmes as part of capacity building .
The targeted growers will be organized into 50 farmers association / groups which will also be tied –up with the aggregators and financial institutions said Sh Virender Kanwar Agriculure Minister here today
Presently seeds for Wheat., Potato. . Paddy.Rajmash, Soybean are grown in the state and under the scheme more seed varieties recommended by state agriculture university ,& ICAR will be grown in the state to meet the local demand and also supply quality seeds to neighbouring states like pujab, haryana ,UP etc
Presently the vegetables are grown in an area of 87,485 ha with production to the tune of 18.67 lack tons. The productivity per hectare comes out to be 21.35 t/ha under open conditions in H.P. An efforts will be made to increase the acreage, production and productivity of off-season vegetables which ultimately will improve economic status of vegetable growers.
The area occupied by the oilseed crops is 18,000 ha which constitutes only 1.90 % of the total cropped area. The area will be increased by introduction and popularization of quality seed of the improved varieties, package of practices and upgrading the knowledge of the farmers regarding profitable oilseed production technologies
