J&K: Udhampur farmers enhance income by cultivating lemon, taking benefit of govt schemes

Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], February 14 (ANI): Inspired by government schemes, farmers from Marore village in Udhampur district have enhanced their income by cultivating lemon.

A 61-year-old progressive farmer from Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district enhanced his income by adopting high-density lemon and strawberry farming. Talking to ANI, progressive farmer Charan Dass said, “For the last 45 years I engaged in cultivating traditional crops like maize, wheat, pulses, vegetables and others but didn’t get much profit.

Three years ago, I switched to organic lemon and strawberry farming alongside traditional crops and earned a good profit this year.”

“We used to plant strawberries but this is the first time we have planted lemons and it’s very good. The variety of lemons is also good,” Dass said.

Earlier he depended upon traditional crops and did not earn so much so he turned from seasonal crops to organic lemon farming with the help of a Government of India scheme.

The 61-year-old farmer said, “He is picking 10-12 quintals (100 Kg) of lemon to date and expects more profit this year. He thanked the Prime Minister and the Horticulture Department for helping him and providing farmers benefits under Subsidy Schemes.”

He added that he got a lot of benefit from the Government of India Scheme implemented by the Horticulture department.

Talking to the ANI, Chief Horticulture Officer, Udhampur, Rajinder Kumar Lochan said, “We brought a scheme last year which increased the plantation of lemon to around 350 hectares in 2022. This year we have covered around 210 hectare area in the rainy season and spring season.”

“Some farmers have 2 kanals of land, some have 4 kanals of land. But under this scheme those farmers who have more than 1 kanal of land on the high-density mode we are getting their plantation done. Our main objective is to plant 400 per hectare of fruits in sub-tropical areas like lemon, and sweet lime (mosami),” said the Chief Horticulture Officer Lochan.

Talking about PM Modi’s aim, Lochan said, “PM Modi’s aim is to double the income of farmers and for that, we have to work on inter-cropping and other interventions. We are trying to work with all our allied departments to make it possible and successful.”