Training and fields demonstrations conducted in eastern parts of UP to boost up onion and garlic production

A training-cum-awareness programme for progressive farmers on quality seed production of onion and garlic by ICAR-DOGR was organized at Parshodha, Taluka-Chunar, District-Mirzapur, UP in collaboration with Agri-Mitra Farmers Producer Company, Mirzapur and Gautam Kalloo Research and Development Foundation, Varanasi on 17 October 2020. Training was based on promotion of onion and garlic cultivation and to create awareness and enhance the knowledge level of farmers to adopt new technologies of onion and garlic production in Mirzapur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Sonbhadra and other adjoining areas. About 70 progressive farmers from different parts of Mirzapur as well as Ballia, Vindhyachal and Ghazipur attended the programme. Dr. Nagendra Rai, Principal Scientist, ICAR-IIVR and Shri Lal Bahadur Singh, Director, Agri-Mitra Farmers Producer Company also grace the programme. Dr. A.J. Gupta, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer (TSP) emphasized on promotion of onion and garlic production in eastern part of Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Gupta delivered lectures on ‘Quality seed production in onion’ and ‘Scientific cultivation of garlic’ in the training.

Monitoring of 135 kharif onion demonstrations at farmers’ fields was done on 16-17 October 2020 by Dr. A.J. Gupta along with Dr. Govind Narayan Singh, Coordinator, Agri-Mitra Farmers Producer Company. Good performance of kharif onion crop was observed as farmers are hard working in nature as well as the climatic condition is congenial for production of onion in these areas but plant population was poor this year. A total of 225 demonstrations on newly improved onion varieties (Bhima Super and Bhima Dark Red) and improved production technologies were carried out during kharif 2018-19 to 2020-21. Similarly, 80 demonstrations were conducted on rabi onion cultivation with improved varieties of Bhima Kiran and Bhima Shakti. Garlic production of Bhima Purple has been initiated this year in Mirzapur. There is good scope for cultivation of kharif onion in Mirzapur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Sonbhadra and other adjoining areas of Uttar Pradesh.