Raja Syed Rather
Ganderbal, Feb 6: Farmers in this central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district who shifted from paddy and fruit cultivation to organic vegetable farming a few years ago say they are reaping success with “huge” organic produce.
Farmers from various villages in the Wakura Block of the district have already been cultivating vegetables in abundant quantities after converting their paddy fields first into orchards and now for vegetable farming.
Wakura block of Ganderbal is rich in vegetable farming and is exporting the produce to the Ladakh region and other parts of the valley. “Our economic returns are now fast-growing,” said a farmer.
Keeping in view the fertility of the soil for vegetable farming, the agriculture department is motivating the marginal farmers to establish their own cluster at a place besides providing them with technical guidance, seeds and high-tech poly-houses on subsidies to boost the organic vegetables.
Ganderbal’s Pati Shallabug has already been developed as an ‘organic village’ where nearly on 73 hectares, the farmers with assistance from the agriculture department are using crop rotation, bio-fertilizers, vermicompost pits and biological pest control technology to boost the farm produce. The village produces the most organic vegetables in the district.
“Organic vegetation has not only improved our economy but also generated employment in many areas with the help of various Central-sponsored schemes which are aimed at developing the agriculture sector,” a farmer from Pati Shallabug said.
Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Ganderbal, Irfana Gul said that they have 40 hectares in the Kangan Sub-Division and 40 hectares in the Ganderbal Sub-Division. There are 58 farmers at one place in Gandarbal and 110 at the second place, she said.
The village that produces the most organic vegetables is Shallabugh Wakura in Ganderbal.
