Need To Promote Processing Of Vegetable Produce: PAU Expert

Ludhiana, June 1, 2015: Deliberations on value addition in vegetable crops, drip irrigation and protected cultivation of vegetables, and scope of sericulture in Punjab marked the conclusion of the “Research and Extension Specialists’ Workshop for Vegetables, Floriculture and Sericulture alongwith Post-harvest Management, Farm Power and Machinery, Food Technology and Agricultural Economics” at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). The experts also discussed design and development of direct onion seed planter on bed with depth control provision, packaging of vegetables and economics of vegetable crops in Punjab.

Chairing the concluding session on “Post-harvest management of vegetables, farm engineering and technology, sericulture and economics,” Dr R.S. Sidhu, Director of Extension Education, said “Shifting some area from under traditional crops to vegetable crops is the need of the hour.” He emphasized on promoting the processing of vegetable produce for augmenting the farm income. “A close interaction between the scientists and the field functionaries is vital for gathering feedback and reprioritizing the research programmes,” he added.

Earlier, two technical sessions on “Vegetable Crops” and “Floriculture and Plant Protection Measures” were chaired by Dr Gurkanwal Singh, Director of Horticulture, Punjab and Dr R.K. Gumber, Addition Director of Research (Crop Improvement), respectively. Experts shed light on various varieties of tomato, muskmelon, pumpkin, chilli, and radish. Besides, they dwelt on disease management in floricultural crops, production of cut greens of Boston ferns, plant protection measures in tomato, use of consortium bio-fertilizer for potato and turmeric cultivation, and economic benefits of adoption of web based decision support system for management of late blight of potato. The participants also visited PAU research farms of floriculture, vegetables, farm power and machinery and Punjab Horticulture Post-Harvest Technology Centre in the University.