Srinagar, Dec 22: For the first time, a farmer from Tarmara village in Udhampur district has successfully established a hybrid onion seedling nursery with the support of the agriculture department and has been reaping success.
With an initial investment of Rs 15,000, Som Raj prepared onion seedbeds and planted the hybrid onion seeds in his field. The yield has surpassed expectations and he has already generated a substantial income.
The Agriculture Department played a crucial role in his success by providing him with a water source. Interestingly, now farmers from various villages of the district are flocking to his farm to purchase hybrid-ready onion seedlings from him.
“Earlier, this business was less but now it will spike. This year it was around one kilogram of seed by next year there will be five kilograms. The pond was also given by the government besides poly house and shedding material, vermicompost etc.,” the 46-year-old farmer said.
Apart from onion he also cultivates potatoes, ginger, cabbage and turmeric. These farming activities have made the farmer famous in the area.
Som Raj has been associated with farming for a long time and has now developed more interest in farming. In his message, he said that people should come forward and use their available land for their livelihood.
Many farmers and youth visit his farm to take a glimpse of her success and many have followed her footsteps. His interest in agriculture and hard labour has made him unique.
Regarding organic farming, Som Raj said low-cost production and quality produce have the opportunity to get good premium prices and organic production is economically viable.
“In fact, my organic farming and its produce have provided viable income to me which encourages me to do more hard work. Farming is an excellent example of my financial security,” he said.
Chief Agriculture Officer, Udhampur, Sanjay Anand said the nursery will benefit the farmers at large as they would be able to get high-density onion seedlings at their doorsteps.
“This is the first time that such a nursery has been established in Udhampur. Earlier, farmers used to plant their own seeds. Now, under the Holistic Agriculture Development Program, we are providing farmers with good germplasm and hybrid seeds,” he said.
Sanjay said that earlier people had limited opportunities and now there are hybrid seedlings available at the farm. He said the initiative was part of the program and they are getting very good results. He said that they have given farmers poly houses for farming.
“There is a great demand for the onion. The area under onion cultivation has also increased in the district. We have doubled the area under onion to 350 hectares. The Udhampur belt is best for onion cultivation as people use local vermicompost. The onions produced here have a good shelf life that is the speciality,” he said.
The CAO said that they are working on several initiatives aimed at doubling the income of the farmers. He informed that Udhampur district annually produces 1200 metric tonnes of onion.
