Vegetable production Clinics

Creditably for it, the Punjab Agriculture Department is initiating a three-year multipronged "vegetable production enhancement" programme worth Rs 410.87 million. It is an ambitious project aimed at enhancing productivity by imparting new knowledge to farmers regarding different agricultural practices, including tunnel technology and kitchen gardening. It is also to help growers reduce post-harvest losses and make value addition to their produce. According to a Recorder report, 'plant clinics' are to be established in 18 districts of the province, some 25 of them in Sialkot district alone. The programme aims to increase year-round supply of vegetable production in urban, semi-urban and rural areas through cultivation of diverse and high value vegetables. Special attention is to be devoted to production of essential vegetables like onions, potatoes, tomatoes and chillis - given to seasonal fluctuations - to ensure their availability throughout the year.
Farmers mostly pay attention to fertilisers and chemical sprays for raising productivity. They are using, even overusing pesticides and herbicides to protect crops from pests and other harmful organisms. Some of these chemicals can be harmful to human health. If consumption of vegetables is good for their micronutrients, some of the herbicides and pesticides can have the opposite effect. The 'plant clinics', of course, are to focus on the health of vegetable crops so as to enhance yields. They also ought to ensure that the chemicals used to increase productivity are safe for human consumption. Seen from the productivity aspect, two aspects of the agricultural department's plan stand out. One is establishment of value addition plants in the key vegetable growing districts of Punjab. These are to comprise reprocessing and packing facilities for such items as tomato paste, jams, pickles, vegetable drying, etc. What is particularly notable about these plants is that they are to be run on cost sharing basis. The idea seems to be to provide a facility to small growers to add value to their produce. But, again, it will work only if an effective quality control mechanism is also put in place.
Second is prevention of post-harvest losses, which for both vegetables and fruits are estimated to be as high as 25 to 40 percent. The main cause of these losses is lack of storage and transportation facilities, affecting small farmers the most and acting as a disincentive for them to continue cultivating vegetables. The new plan envisages setting up 'Plastic Bucket Bank' on 80:20 percent (government, grower) cost sharing for safe transportation of vegetables from farms to markets and retail outlets. That way the much-maligned middleman would be side-stepped, allowing direct market access to small growers. All in all, it looks like a good plan to increase vegetable production and supply to domestic as well as export markets. Much will depend on how well it is to work in practice.