Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 8: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-Jammu) organized a one-day Training-cum-Awareness Programme on "Medicinal Importance of Minor Fruits" at Nai Basti village of Akhnoor block, Jammu district. The programme was conducted as part of the University's sustained efforts towards the development of rainfed and kandi areas of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The training programme was organized under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), Project No. 15 titled "Development of Rainfed Areas", with the primary objective of enhancing resource-use efficiency and improving the livelihood security of small and marginal fruit growers inhabiting rainfed regions. While interacting with farmers, Prof. Parshant Bakshi, Head, Division of Fruit Science, SKUAST-Jammu, emphasized the immense nutritional, medicinal, and economic potential of minor fruit crops such as aonla, karonda, bael, jamun, and phalsa, particularly under rainfed conditions. He advised growers to adopt scientifically recommended packages of practices to achieve higher productivity and assured returns. Prof. Bakshi also encouraged farmers to explore the cultivation of dragon fruit, highlighting its promising performance and remunerative returns in the kandi areas of Jammu.
On the occasion, Ram Lal, Sarpanch, and Sham Lal, a progressive fruit grower, expressed their gratitude to Prof. Parshant Bakshi and Dr. Rakesh Kumar for the timely technical guidance provided to aonla growers, which resulted in a bumper crop during the current season, despite the complete absence of fruiting during the year 2024. |
