Pulwama, Oct 21: In a pioneering agricultural venture, Irshad Ahmad Dar, a forward-thinking farmer from the serene village of Patalbagh in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, has achieved a remarkable feat – successfully harvesting off-season peas in his vegetable land.
Breaking the traditional agricultural norms of the region, Irshad decided to sow off-season pea seeds as a demonstration project. This marked the very first time that farmers in this south Kashmir district ventured into cultivating off-season peas under open field conditions.
“The demonstration was a success,” Irshad told Rising Kashmir. “The seed germination and growth of the plants were normal, though the yield was comparatively less than the regular season peas.”
Typically, peas are sown in the picturesque valley of Kashmir during two distinct windows, either from October to November or from March to April, with harvest taking place from May to June.
However, Irshad deviated from this conventional practice by sowing the seeds in the second week of August, in a small section of his land, as an experimental trial.
Dar wanted to ascertain whether it was possible to obtain an additional crop of peas during the off-season in Kashmir. He is optimistic that cultivating off-season peas can be a game-changer for the local farming community.
“During this season, we often rely on importing peas from other parts of the country, incurring comparatively high costs,” he noted. “By introducing a pea crop in October to November, we can achieve two significant benefits.”
Explaining further, he said, “Firstly, our farmers will fetch better rates for their produce, and secondly, consumers will have access to locally grown peas at more affordable prices.”
Irshad advises fellow farmers interested in cultivating off-season peas to consider sowing the seeds in July instead of August to ensure a harvest in September. “It is essential to maintain adequate moisture for the crop during July to shield it from potential damage due to heat,” he said.
More importantly, he advocates using only seeds recommended by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for the specific climatic zone, ensuring that the crop aligns with the region’s unique conditions.
