Shimla (The Hawk): Union Minister of State for Power and Heavy Industries Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar today visited Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni. He interacted with University Vice-Chancellor Prof Rajeshwar Singh Chandel and University statutory officers and was briefed about the activities of the university in teaching, extension and research.
Shri Gurjar also visited the Ultra High-Density apple plantations in the department of Fruit Science where he was explained about the different varieties of apples, training and pruning, and also the benefits in production and quality of the produce. Prof Chandel briefed that the university has prepared Package of Practice for apple under High-density plantation models and also that the university has already been able to achieve 42 MT productivity under this system which is several times higher than the traditional systems.
Shri Gurjar also visited the Floral Craft lab where he appreciated the different products developed by the university. He lauded the efforts to increase farmers' income through the value addition of native wildflowers and shrubs, and agricultural waste. He also interacted with the students working on preparing different herbal dyes and products. He praised the university’s Agri Incubation Centre on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, which was not only giving practical training to farmers but also providing services for processing and value addition of medicinal and aromatic plants.
Appreciating the efforts of the university in increasing farmers’ income through new technologies, Shri Gurjar said, “The research on new Agri technology by the university will prove to be beneficial for the farmers of the state by increasing their income. The different research works on getting more productivity in different fruit and vegetables from the same piece of land will have a positive impact on the farmers as the university is a medium through which the latest agricultural techniques and knowledge reach the farmers.” He also planted a deodar tree in the nature camp of the university.