World Pulse Day at CSKHPAU

Dharamsala, February 10, 2022: To commemorate World Pulse Day and create awareness among farmers, students and general masses, a seminar was organised at Chaudhry Sarvan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University CSKHPAU in Palampur today.
 
Prof H.K.Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor, while inaugurating the programme, said, “Due to agro-climatic advantages, Himachal Pradesh has great potential for growing pulses. Despite "Daal-Bhaat' (Pulses-rice) being a daily food of people in the State, the farmers have lost enthusiasm for growing pulses. They are not growing pulses adequately due to various reasons after the introduction of high yielding wheat, rice and maize varieties which are dependent on chemical fertilizers. Since pulse crops were intolerant to heavy doses of chemical fertilizers so the farmers were no more growing pulses as intercrop.” He underlined the importance of balanced use of fertilizers. The Vice-Chancellor said that pulse crops can be grown as intercrop in organic and natural farming.
 
The Vice-Chancellor said that pulse crops were a gift from nature and major crops intermixed with pulses decorate the farm besides making soil healthier. He told that pulses make environment clean by fixing nitrogen from atmosphere and enriching soil. Prof Chaudhary asked farmers to grow pulses even if production is low. It will save their resources and they need not purchase pulses from the market. The farmers need to take advantage of more than two dozen high yielding pulse crop varieties and technology developed by the University for enhancing pulse production.

Pulses were essential component of our daily food. The state produces pulses like rajmash, mash, kulthi, moth, chana, masur, rongi, arhar, ricebean, lal mah or adjuki bean, etc. Around 100 farmers from Maulichak, post graduate students and scientists attended the programme. The World Pulse Day was also celebrated at university research stations and Krishi Vigyan Kendras.