Site Implementation Group of ICAR-CIPHET, Ludhiana visits SBS Nagar

Ludhiana, December 23, 2021: ICAR-Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology under its Farmer FIRST Program (FFP) organized Kisan Diwas at Uppal farm, Rahon and Khalsa Farm, Balachaur, SBS Nagar District of Punjab on the eve of Farmers Day (23.12.2021). Under the chairmanship of Dr. Nachiket Kotwaliwale, Director, ICAR-CIPHET, Ludhiana, the program was coordinated by Dr. Sandeep Mann, Pr. Scientist and his FFP team. ICAR-CIPHET has established chemical free jaggery processing unit at Uppal Farm and Agro Processing Centre (APC) at Khalsa Farm, Balachaur under FFP. Farmers were given live demonstrations of the established processing units by the project team. The farmers were explained about the benefits of the processing at production catchment and various government schemes available to promote entrepreneurship. Dr. Rajbir Singh, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Ludhiana; Dr. Amandeep Singh Brar, Deputy Director, KVK, SBS Nagar; Dr. Rajesh, HDO; Dr. Kamaldeep Singh Sanga, Director, ATMA; Dr. Jaswinder, ADO; Dr Rajkumar, AEO; Dr. Pritpal Singh, Dr. Rahul Kumar Anuraag, Dr. Renu Balakrishnan, Er Yogesh Kalnar and team members attended the program. Dr Nachiket Kotwaliwale highlighted the post-harvest loss of agricultural produce and sensitized farmers for agro-processing, value addition, custom hiring of APC facilities available at CIPHET at nominal rate and appealed farmers to participate in reducing huge post-harvest loss and increase their income by utilizing government resources. Dr. Rajbir briefed about the benefits of agro-processing and justified the need to adopt such practices at filed level. Shri Paramjeet Singh Khalsa and Sri Sohan Singh Uppal among many farmers thanked the institute and FFP for extending their technical guidance, processing facilities, training, exposure visit and hand holding support. About 70 farmers enthusiastically participated at both locations.