Abohar: Farmers seek subsidy to grow date palm

Raj Sadosh

Abohar, March 26

Disheartened with the fall in kinnow production due to poor availability of canal water in summer and unfriendly climate conditions, progressive farmers of the area have raised the demand for a subsidy to cultivate date palm.

Farmers told DC Dr Senu Duggal, who was on a visit to the Regional Centre of Punjab Agriculture University here, that date palm cultivation in the area had good potential. They said it could be done in low water lands, low saline water lands and bean-affected areas. They said date could become the basis of crop diversification in the state.

The governments in neighbouring areas of Rajasthan and Haryana were providing subsidies and healthy date palm plants for cultivation to farmers, they said.

Station director Dr PK Arora apprised the DC about the research work done by at the centre to promote fruit production in the area. This was the oldest research centre in the country where date palm research was being done.

He said in areas where kinnow cannot be cultivated, date palm could be considered. He said date palm can be cultivated in the whole Malwa region.

Dr Anil Kumar Kamra, who is doing research on date palm at the centre, said the female species had three varieties, including ‘Barhi’, ‘Khunji’ and ‘Hilavi’ dates.

He said ‘Barhi’ and Hilavi dates could be cultivated in this area and plants could be prepared with tissue culture for its cultivation, which was quite expensive.

He said, “If given subsidy, farmers can take up date palm cultivation, which can be successful.” Dr Senu Duggal said she would send a report on date palm cultivation to the state government.

A state award-winning kinnow grower, Arvind Setia of Sappanwali village, said as mercury had soared at 33°C, it would further dampen the spirit of farmers, who were worried about the fall in kinnow production by 40 to 50 per cent.