Anand
Agricultural University (AAU) has successfully grown saffron under
controlled conditions and claims that the most expensive herb in the
world could be grown in the fields of the north Gujarat region having
favourable climatic conditions for its farming.
- See more at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/aau-breaks-new-ground-grows-saffron-at-varsity-farms/1091788/#sthash.cNQdR6uI.dpuf
Anand
Agricultural University (AAU) has successfully grown saffron under
controlled conditions and claims that the most expensive herb in the
world could be grown in the fields of the north Gujarat region having
favourable climatic conditions for its farming.
- See more at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/aau-breaks-new-ground-grows-saffron-at-varsity-farms/1091788/#sthash.cNQdR6uI.dpuf
Anand
Agricultural University (AAU) has successfully grown saffron under
controlled conditions and claims that the most expensive herb in the
world could be grown in the fields of the north Gujarat region having
favourable climatic conditions for its farming.
- See more at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/aau-breaks-new-ground-grows-saffron-at-varsity-farms/1091788/#sthash.cNQdR6uI.dpuf
Gujarat are now challenging nature. Despite water shortage in the
state, many farmers have been successful in growing crops which need a
lot of water and for which Gujarat’s climate is not at all favourable.
For instance, apples, saffron and cashew are difficult to grow in water-deficient states like Gujarat.
Yet some enterprising farmers have experimented and succeeded in
growing these crops despite the unfavourable climatic conditions.
Cashew is being grown in Saurashtra and South Gujarat while Anand
Agricultural University has been successful in growing saffron, albeit
in greenhouses on its farm. Incidentally, saffron has long been
associated with Kashmir and its climate.
Businessman Rustom Cama has recently joined farmers in experimenting with different crops.
Apples generally grow in places like Himachal Pradesh where the
climate is damp and cold. But he has been successful in growing around
100 apple trees on his arid farmland near Mount Abu.
Cama said that he started growing apple trees four years ago and that
the trees had yielded good quality fruit for the last two years.
“When I first asked a university for apple plants so that I could
grow them on my farm near Mount Abu, the university refused. The
university evidently thought that it was not possible to grow apples in
Mount Abu,” said Cama.
He further said that as there is shortage of water in the region, it
is not possible to grow apple trees in large numbers. He, however, added
that he had not found the climate to be much of a problem and the
apples grown on his farm were of good quality.
As for saffron, AAU has grown this spice in greenhouses on its farm
in Anand. University officials involved in its farming say that it can
be grown in North Gujarat areas – in Patan, Mehsana, Banaskantha,
Sabarkantha and Gandhinagar. Saplings for this purpose can be had from
Badgam district in Kashmir valley. The officials say that the quality of
saffron grown in Gujarat is as good as that of saffron grown in
Kashmir. The period of August to November is most favorable for its
cultivation.
In Saursahtra and South Gujarat, farmers have been successful in
growing cashew nut. According to an estimate, 7826 hectares of land in
Gujarat is used for cashew farming. The harvest is around 22,860 metric
tonnes. Bharat Patel, one of the farmers cultivating cashew in Halvad,
said he had grown around 150 cashew trees on his farm.
“One has to be careful when cultivating cashew as watering of the
plants has to be done systematically. I have been growing cashew for the
last three years. Though the volume of the yield is not very high, the
quality of cashew is good,” Patel said.
The Jammu and Kashmir medicinal Plants Introduction Centre"Ginkgo House", Nambalbal, New Coloney Azizabad,
Via Wuyan-Meej Road, Pampore PPR J&K 192121
Mob:09858986794
Ph: 01933-223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.in
Anand
Agricultural University (AAU) has successfully grown saffron under
controlled conditions and claims that the most expensive herb in the
world could be grown in the fields of the north Gujarat region having
favourable climatic conditions for its farming.
- See more at:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/aau-breaks-new-ground-grows-saffron-at-varsity-farms/1091788/#sthash.cNQdR6uI.dpuf
