SRINAGAR, October 16: The ICAR-Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture (CITH), Srinagar, has achieved its target of producing 40,000 plants for the current year to meet the needs of farmers ahead of the winter planting season.
The institute offers improved varieties of apples, walnuts and almonds, besides other fruit crops such as peach, plum, apricot, cherry, kiwi, grapes and pomegranate. It has released 12 walnut varieties and is also producing planting material of hazelnut and chestnut.
M.K. Verma, Director of the ICAR-Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture (CITH), Srinagar said, in an exclusive interview with Kashmir Convener that the institute, functioning under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Government of India, conducts research to meet the horticultural needs of cold-region areas across the country, including Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.
With the winter season approaching, farmers and orchardists require a large number of quality planting materials and invest considerable amounts of money in purchasing plants.
Keeping their needs in mind, CITH has been assisting farmers for the past 25 years by producing and supplying quality planting material.
This year, the institute has set a target of producing 40,000 plants, which has already been achieved.
Verma said the institute is making efforts to ensure that farmers have access to newly recommended and improved varieties of fruit crops that are gaining popularity among growers and consumers.
In the apple sector, the institute is focusing on different varieties suitable for various harvesting periods. Gala varieties are available for the early-season category, while Red Delicious varieties cater to the mid-season group. For late-season production, varieties such as Fuji, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious are also available. The institute has selected around 15 to 20 improved varieties that are increasingly attracting the attention of farmers and consumers, and efforts are being made to make these varieties available to growers.
Regarding walnut cultivation, Verma said CITH has released 12 walnut varieties and is producing planting material of all these varieties for distribution to farmers during the current season.
The institute is also working on almond cultivation, with around eight to ten different varieties, including Kagzi varieties. Planting material of selected varieties is being produced to meet farmers’ requirements.
Apart from apples, walnuts and almonds, CITH is also producing plants of several other fruit crops, including peach, plum, apricot, cherry, kiwi, grapes and pomegranate. The institute is also developing planting material for minor fruit crops such as hazelnut and chestnut.
Verma emphasised that the institute aims to provide farmers with quality planting material at reasonable prices. He said CITH makes every possible effort to maintain the genetic purity and quality of its plants, striving to achieve 99 to 100 per cent purity in its planting material.
Although occasional labelling discrepancies may occur, the institute remains committed to maintaining high standards of quality so that farmers can obtain better yields and economic returns in the future.
He further told Kashmir Convener that the distribution of planting material generally begins in December and continues through January, February and March, depending on requirements and availability. Farmers, orchardists, horticulture development departments and other government departments can approach CITH, Srinagar, to obtain plants during the winter planting season.
Verma appealed to farmers to make use of the institute’s facilities and procure quality planting material for their orchards. He said the ultimate objective is to ensure that the plants produced by CITH reach farmers’ orchards, contributing to improved productivity, better-quality produce and higher income for the farming community.
Comments are closed.