New Technology Will Reduce The Cost Of Geranium Farming, Production Will Be Increased

Geranium Farming:  Cultivation of aromatic plants can become a major source of additional income for farmers. Geranium is also one such aromatic plant whose oil is very valuable. Scientists at the Lucknow-based CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) have developed a protective shed technique for polyhouses, reducing the cost of growing geranium.

Generally, saplings are prepared from the plant of geranium. However, the plants used to get spoiled during the rains, due to which the plant material was quite expensive for the farmers. With this new technique of cultivation of geranium developed by the scientists of CIMAP, the plant which can be prepared at a cost of about Rs. 35 will now be ready for just two rupees. Dr. Saudan Singh, scientist of CIMAP, who is leading the project, told that till now the plant of geranium was preserved in air conditioned glass house, but now the protective shed technology of polyhouse was developed, at a much cheaper cost on the farmer’s farm itself. Can prepare it.

About four thousand plants are required for one acre of cultivation. For this, 50-60 square meters of polyhouse has to be built, which costs around 8-10 thousand rupees. Geranium crops are good in loam and loamy loam soils. The best time for its cultivation is considered to be November. Dr. Saudan Singh said that CIMAP has started cultivation under aroma mission to promote geranium as an alternative to mentha under aromatic crops. CIMAP is also providing a mother plant to promote the cultivation of geranium under the Aroma Mission.

Dr. Abdul Samad, Executive Director of CIMAP, said that under the Aroma Mission by CIMAP, plant material of geranium will be cultivated in an area of ​​about 50 hectare this year. It is expected that by June next year, about 750 kg of aromatic oil will be obtained.

Cultivation in these states: Geranium is originally a plant in South Africa. It is mainly cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and North-Eastern regions. Oil obtained from the plant of geranium is very valuable. Its average price in India is around 12 to 18 thousand rupees per liter. A crop of only four months costs about 80 thousand rupees and it gives a profit of about 1.50 lakh rupees.