Diversified crop technique boosts yield

Farmers of Karnal district's Taraori area have benefited immensely from diversification of their crops from the traditional wheat-rice rotation to vegetable cultivation by adopting the "bawar technique".

A spokesman of the horticulture department said here that the bawar technique had been developed by Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, on the pattern of grape cultivation.

Explaining the technique, he said after preparing the fields, a net of wires were laid on pieces of bamboos and then plants were spread over these wires. The technique has led to a substantial increase in the production of bitter gourd apart from helping farmers keep their crops free from insects, he said.

The crop sown over an area of one acre could fetch a farmer upto Rs 50,000 excluding the expenditure incurred on its cultivation. Vegetables were cultivated in an area of over 3,000 hectares.

Apart from this, fruit cultivation was also done over 145 hectares and spices such as turmeric and coriander over an area of 50 hectares.

The spokesman said bitter gourd was popular not only in India, but also in China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines. Bitter gourd, popularly known as 'karela' in the country, is a seasonal vegetable and a rich source of phosphorous. Being a cash crop, the cultivation of the vegetable ensures prompt payment.

To encourage farmers to adopt diversified crop activities, the horticulture department in Karnal district had sent a proposal to the national horticulture mission for providing subsidy to farmers to adopt horticultural activities.