The Samikhsya Correspondent
SHIMLA: Farmers in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, keen for new livelihood options to supplement their income from traditional crops like maize, paddy, and wheat, have found a new lease of life.
Cultivation of aromatic plants has given them additional income. They have extracted essential oil from the improved variety of wild marigold (Tagetes minuta) that has been introduced, and the profit from wild marigold oil has doubled the income of farmers as compared to traditional maize, wheat and paddy crops.
The improvement in the fortune of the farmers has been brought about through interventions made by Society for Technology and Development (STD), Mandi Core Support group, SEED Division, DST. STD initiated cultivation and processing of aromatic plants (wild marigold, improved variety of IHBT) involving the farming community in technical collaboration with IHBT-CSIR, Palampur, in Parwai village, Bhatiyat Block in Chamba, an aspirational District.
A self-help group (SHG) consisting of 40 farmers called Green Valley Kissan Sabha Parwai has been formed and linked to Himachal Gramin Bank, Parchhod, for further financial help.
A distillation unit of 250 kg capacity was installed at Parwai village and farmers trained into agro-technology of wild marigold, extraction of oil, packing, and storage of oil started cultivating wild marigold and distilling oil from it.
The extracted oil is being sold at Rs. 9500/kg and used in preparing perfumes and essences by pharmaceutical industries.
The income of farmers which was around Rs. 40,000-50,000 per hectare from traditional crops have increased to about Rs. 1,00,000 per hectare by cultivation and extraction of wild marigold oil.
