In future Raje’s Rajasthan to Surface as leading producer of date palms, pistachio and olive oil.
Adversities like famine, droughts, extreme temperatures and salinity have stalled Rajasthan’s progress in past one decade. With 10 unique agro-climatic zones, the state possesses vibrant opportunities in animal husbandry, agriculture and agro-manufacturing sectors. It isn’t surprising that Rajasthan, being the largest state in India contributes to 22.5% of national agricultural output. Sadly, only 20% of the total agricultural land (which is 20 million hectares) is irrigated. Lack of vision and negligence by Congress leaders had pulled down Rajasthan to a ‘Banjar’, ‘Beemaru’ nation. Raje-led BJP government was determined to change it. With a vision to create #किसानोंकाराजस्थान before 2020, Rajasthan CM Vasundhara took some significant steps towards boosting agricultural potential of the state.
GRAM 2016 Is a Visionary Step Towards Sustainable Agriculture
Raje’s GRAM (Global Rajasthan Agricultural Meet) is not just a simple farming convention. It’s a modern green revolution, a mission towards replacing tradition agriculture with sound agricultural technologies delivered by adept foreign nations like Israel and Netherland. By hosting India’s largest agritech meet, Raje promises 3 mega changes in existing agricultural systems of Rajasthan.
Agriculturists will Witness 3 Major Developments in Future, as Promised by the CM
- Rajasthan to Lead Pistachio Production in India
Pistachio nuts are nutritious, energy-rich, members of cashew nut family. It is obtained from desert plants that can tolerate high salinity, extreme temperatures and acute water shortage. The plant can survive between 40°C to -10°C temperatures, a condition which is prevalent in Rajasthan. Farmers, who were earlier struggling with adverse conditions like frost, hailstorms and water shortage, are being encouraged by the government to participate in pistachio farming. At GRAM, government will make an attempt to familiarize farmers with the technical aspect of growing pista nuts in hot cities like Bikaner. BJP government sees it as an opportunity to transform adversities into fruitful opportunities.
- The State will Try its Luck at Olive Oil Production
Raje’s visit to Israel in 2006 brought 1,12,000 plantlets in the state. The sapling were planted at a pilot plant under the supervision of Rajasthan Olive Cultivation Limited (ROCL). After a decade, olive cultivation has spread over 182 hectare government farms and 425.18 hectares of land privately owned by farmers. Seeing the surplus growth of Mediterranean fruits in state, Rajasthan government established an oil refinery at Lunkaransar in 2013. Since then, the state has extracted around 11574.09 kgs of olive oil.
Now the government plans to lead in olive oil production in India by introducing a new brand ‘Raj Olive Oil’. If the plan is successfully implemented, it’ll help cut costs on oil import from foreign nations. State agricultural minister Prabhu Lal Saini instructed local municipalities to plant olive trees alongside roads and on dividers. This will not just ensure increased oil production, but also improve the aesthetics of urban cities.
- Bikaner will Have a new Date Palm Processing Unit
Desert is synonymous with Date Palms. These lush green survivors produce sweet, nutritious dates around oasis in sandy areas. In last 3 years, Rajasthan has produced 800 tons of date palms on 813 hectares agricultural lands. Rajasthan government plans to harness state’s date palm production by setting up a fruit processing industry worth 125 crores in Jaisalmer, Bikaner and surrounding regions. These industries will promote small and micro businesses in state.
Thus, GRAM 2016 is a practical platform for government to deliver such lucrative ideas to farmers of the state. Other than these, Raje government also plans to invest in citrus fruits, spice seeds and other items to create sustainable means of secondary income.
