By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 22 Nov: The 28th ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) Regional Committee’s first meeting was chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, with Agriculture Minister of Uttarakhand, Ganesh Joshi, participating through video conferencing from the Secretariat, here. The meeting was attended by Agriculture Ministers of various states, agricultural scientists, Vice-Chancellors of agricultural universities, and departmental officials.
During the meeting, Minister Ganesh Joshi highlighted several key issues related to agriculture in the state and provided valuable suggestions. He emphasised the need for research on the traditional cultivation of Tumdi potatoes, which are grown in the state’s high-altitude areas. He mentioned that the demand for Tumdi potatoes is steadily increasing, and research is necessary to boost production and ensure farmers receive a fair price for their produce.
Minister Joshi also raised the issue of wild animals causing significant damage to crops in the state. He pointed out that this has led to farmers losing interest in farming. He urged the central government to provide special funding for creating enclosures to protect crops from wild animals, a scheme that was previously funded by the central government but has been discontinued. He requested that, until further research is conducted, special funds should be allocated to safeguard farmers’ crops from wildlife.
Additionally, Minister Joshi emphasised the need for research on effective biological chemicals to prevent pest and disease damage in agriculture and horticultural crops, as organic farming is increasingly being adopted in the state. He also called for the development of officially notified varieties of pulses like Urad and Arhar for the hill areas.
He further highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting local varieties of traditional crops, including Manduwa, Sawa, Kala Bhatta, Tora, and Rajma, which have received GI (Geographical Indication) tag. He stressed the need for research on these seeds and their protection.
Minister Joshi also pointed out the scarcity of organic fertilisers in the state and suggested conducting research on producing organic fertilisers from forest residues. He called for the development of a notified variety of Hemp (Bhog) with low THC content (<0.3%).
Minister Joshi also requested the central government’s assistance in developing the Chaubatia Garden. He expressed gratitude to the central government for establishing regional committees, which help in addressing specific agricultural issues based on regional climatic conditions.
On this occasion, Secretary, Agriculture, SN Pandey, Director-General, Agriculture, Ranveer Singh Chauhan, Director, Agriculture, KC Pathak, Director, Horticulture, Deepti Bhatt, and various Agriculture Ministers and scientists from other states were also present.
