Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 9 Jun: In a significant initiative to promote innovation in agriculture and horticulture, the Dehradun district administration has launched a pilot project for blueberry farming under the guidance of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. District Magistrate (DM) Ashish Chauhan is leading the initiative while the administration and horticulture department are working to provide farmers with high‑value crop options to enhance their income.
Commenting on the pilot project of blueberry farming in Dehradun district, Chauhan stated that after studying the climate and geographical conditions of Sahaspur, the horticulture department found the area suitable for blueberry cultivation. Ten farmers from Sahaspur block have been selected for the pilot project and will receive technical and financial support on priority. Each farmer will be provided with 500 blueberry plants for cultivation over 500 square metres at 80 per cent subsidy. Alongside this, they will undergo training in scientific farming, plant maintenance, irrigation management and production techniques. The administration will also facilitate better market access to ensure fair prices for the produce.
The DM said that, in case of the pilot project proving successful, it will be expanded to the cluster level and it can position Dehradun as a new centre for blueberry production. He added that just as Doon Basmati has earned national recognition, blueberry farming has also the potential to become a profitable source of income for farmers.
Chief Horticulture Officer DK Tiwari explained that blueberry is a high‑value crop fetching between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 per kilogram in the market. With rising health awareness and growing demand for antioxidant‑rich fruits, the commercial potential of blueberry has strengthened. He noted that with NABARD’s support, polyhouses will be set up in selected villages of Sahaspur block for cultivation of blueberry. He also shared that the blueberry plants begin fruiting in about two years, and ten farmers who attended departmental training programmes have expressed interest in adopting this crop. It may also be reminded here that blueberry has been categorised as a superfood with high health benefits in respect of heart, digestion, diabetes and in improvement of memory. The fruit has high content of Vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and fibre. The cultivation can enable the farmers in Dehradun to move beyond traditional cultivation and earn higher incomes.
