Himachal Pradesh is looking at the strawberry as a fancy alternative to the apple in the future. As of now,though,strawberry cultivation in the state is limited to 58 acres in the districts of Sirmaur,Kangra and Kullu,and an annual production to 348 tonnes. This compares poorly withstrawberry-producing regions such as the northern plains of Haryana,Punjab,Maharashtra,Jammu and Kashmir,West Bengal,UP and Rajasthan. The farmers,however,are earning well and the government hopes this will motivate more as its horticulture department tries to arrange for the import of some new,high yield,hybrid varieties from California. Its time to change,and go for a diversification from apples to other fruits, says Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes,whose family is credited with pioneering Himachal Pradeshs apple revolution. New innovations,the best high-yield varieties and climatic suitability can make Himachal a new destination for strawberry, she says. One of the innovations is a public-private partnership,a first in fruit cultivation,with imported varieties of strawberry. Edge India Agrotech,which proposes to develop its nurseries for supplying plant materials to farmers for cultivation,has come forward. Says Rupesh Saraf,chief project coordinator,International strawberry expert Bob Nottelman has studied the conditions in Himachal Pradesh and held discussions with state government officials. Nottleman represents California-based Ekland Marketing,which has a tie-up with Edge India Agrotech. He has recommended two varieties of strawberry,Whitney and Albion. Both have high yields,are suited to Himachal Pradesh conditions and can be grown round the year, Rupesh Saraf says. Nottleman made a presentation in Shimla last week before Stokes and government officials. He said the company,which would provide farmers with technology and know-how,could also offer a buy-back facility to purchase the produce from the farm gates within a 30-km radius of its centres in Shimla or elsewhere. He has found the climate in the foothills of the Himalayas suitable for all kind of berries. The varieties proposed for Himachal Pradesh can enhance the yield from the existing 250 gm per plant to almost 1.5 kg per plant,Nottleton said,citing trials he had conducted. Edge India had imported trial breeds of both varieties from California and tried them under shelter-farming methods in farms in Mashobra and Sainj in Himachal Pradesh. Because of small landholdings,many of Himachal Pradeshs farmers hope to shift from apples and strawberry is one of the options. Climatic changes,the effects of global warming and market competition have made apple cultivation difficult. The volume of the fruit makes transportation a tough job, says Prakash Thakur,a progressive apple grower. Fruits like strawberry,with a low volume and better cash returns,are a new option farmers must explore if a public-private partnership is worked out for cultivation and assured marketing. Horticulture director Gurudev Singh says strawberry can have a future in Himachal Pradesh if the company provides new,imported varieties with high yield. The highest production and land under cultivation of strawberry is in Sirmaur district, he said; 275 tonnes were produced from 38 hectares in the district last year. Some of the farmers in Sirmaur have gained heavily from cultivation of strawberry. An investment of Rs 25,000 on a quarter of a hectare can return Rs 1 lakh to 1.50 lakh,says farmer Dilip Thakur at Paonta Sahib,near Nahan.
