The Punjab Agriculture Department has evolved a three-year multi-pronged "vegetable enhancement" plan costing Rs 410.87 million. The programme was being carried out in 18 districts, including Sialkot, of the province. In Sialkot district, the work on vegetable enhancement programme has been initiated and under the programme suitable sites for developing 18 plots had been identified out of which potato to be cultivated on 10 plots while garlic crop would be sown on 8 plots.
Sources in the Agriculture Department told Business Recorder on Friday that the basic concept of the programme is to enhance the year round supply of essential vegetables on sustainable and affordable prices by promoting vegetable cultivation, reduction in post harvest losses and value addition with all means open field vegetables, tunnel technology, promotion of kitchen gardening, training of farmers regarding pre- and post- harvesting techniques and value-addition practices for making the Punjab province self-sufficient in vegetables.
The sole purpose of the project is to enhance vegetable production in urban, semi urban and rural areas through diversification of high value vegetable crops in Punjab. The increased production of vegetables would not only meet the increasing demand of the population of Punjab on one hand and also fetch share in foreign exchange earning on the other.
Special attention under the plan would be accorded to tomato, onion, potato and chili crops for overcoming the shortage. The efforts will be made through the programme to maximise the production of these essential vegetables to ensure availability throughout the year. Under the plan, small processing units for value addition would also be established in main growing vegetable districts especially for preparation of paste, slice, jam, pickles, powder and dehydration of vegetables for its optimum use in the shortage period on cost sharing basis.
Through proper transportation of vegetable produce a reasonable reduction in post harvest losses could be obtained. In order to lessen the losses a "Plastic Bucket Bank" will be set up in project districts on 80-20 percent (government-growers-retailer) cost sharing for safe transportation of vegetables from farm to markets and retailer outlets. The aim of setting up of "Plastic Bucket Bank" was to issue buckets on cycle mode under which a farmer and retailer will take 10 buckets for safe transportation from farm to market.
Under the plan small processing units will also be provided to vegetable growers and businessman in project districts on 50 percent cost sharing basis through balloting in a transparent way. Ten tomato paste, pulping units and 10 small processing units for onion, garlic and chili paste preparation will be provided in top 10 producing districts of the project, sources revealed.
Comments
Comments are closed.