Chandigarh: Israeli cultivation technology and know-how of fruit plants will be shared with Indian farmers and horticulturists at the centre of excellence for fruits which was inaugurated today in Haryana’s Sirsa district.
The centre was inaugurated by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Israeli Ambassador Alon Ushpiz at Mangiana village in Sirsa district, 280 km from here.
After setting up a centre of excellence for vegetables in 2011, India and Israel have now joined hands for setting up a centre for fruits, a spokesman of the Haryana government said here.
The centre for fruits is spread over an area of 72 acres.
“This is the second Indo-Israel centre of excellence to be established in Haryana. It will serve as yet another focal point for Indo-Israeli agriculture R&D (research and development), and will showcase some of the most advanced Israeli nursery and fruit cultivating technologies, adapted for Indian conditions by local experts,” a spokesman of the Israeli embassy said.
Under a three-year work plan for Indo-Israeli cooperation in agriculture, 30 centres of excellence in 10 states across India have been planned.
“Saplings of citrus fruits, pomegranate, olive, guava and date had been planted in this centre. Apart from this, shed net house, anti-insect house and high-tech greenhouse had also been set up,” theIsraeli embassy spokesman said.
“Indo-Israel technology is being applied in this centre. Micro-irrigation with automatic system had been installed in separate blocks of orchards and nursery,” he added.
The horticulture farming would enhance income of farmers and fresh juice would be available to people of the adjoining areas, he said.
Over 8,300 hectares of land have been brought under horticulture cultivation in Sirsa district.
The centre for vegetables is in Gharaunda town near Karnal, 140 km from here.
In the vegetables centre project in Gharaunda, both countries share technology and jointly undertake protected cultivation of various vegetables, including tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicum. It has been operational since January 2011.
– IANS
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