Hoshiarpur shows how to diversify crops,save soil

Hoshiarpur has around 3.39 lakhs hectare cultivated area of which over 1.09 lakh hectares is dedicated under forestry (around 33 per cent). Punjab has only 6.6 per cent area under forest cover,much lower than the required,which is more than 20 per cent.

Of the remaining around 2.05 lakh hectares cultivated area in Hoshiarpur district,about 33,000 hectares is under fruits,floriculture and vegetables including around 27,000 hectares under different vegetables. Major fruits grown in the district are kinnow,mango,peach,litchi,pear and guava,while among the vegetables potato has the major share followed by peas,cauliflower,tomato,cabbage and brinjal. Under floriculture marigold,annual chrysanthemum and gladioli are grown.

This district has been sowing maize,which is a kharif crop and is the main crop under diversification,on over 65,000 hectares area and the same area is approximately dedicated to paddy.

The district has also been dedicating around 12,000 hecatres to Basmati crop,which is also one of the major crop for diversification. Apart from this sugarcane,groundnut,agro-forestry,pulses and turmeric are also grown here on good chunks of land.

According to the Chief Agriculture Officer Hoshiarpur,Dr. Kulbir Singh Deol,Hoshiarpur district is showing the way to diversification due to a balanced approach for every crop. “If all the districts adopt it then the diversification will take place of its own,” he added.