india

Updated: Nov 07, 2019 00:33 IST

The plains of Bengal’s Murshidabad may seem an unlikely place to grow apples, but that’s not stopping the district administration from giving it a shot after unemployment in the region came into focus following the killing of five labourers from the area in a terror attack in Kashmir on October 29.

The administration plans to set up apple orchards for jobless youths who are returning home in panic.

The project has been started by the community block administration in Murshidabad’s Sagardighi where the victims lived. Around 20 men from Sagardighi had gone to Kashmir. Most of them, including the five gunned down in Kulgam, worked in apple orchards in the Valley.

The block administration has sent a proposal to the state government, seeking permission to train these men. A few plots of land have also been selected.

Sagardighi block development officer Subhajit Kundu said, “Since these men have already developed some skill we are planning to use it. We have identified six plots and intend to use around three acres initially.”

“We are collating information on weather and soil conditions required for apple production. Experts have said that we can produce certain varieties that grow in tropical and sub-tropical conditions,” said Kundu

“We have been told that at least 100 hours of chilling temperature is essential for growing apples in Sagardighi. The required temperature is normally recorded here during December and January. The saplings will be brought from Uttar Pradesh,” the BDO added.

Goutam Roy, deputy director of Murshidabad horticultural department, said, “Apples grown in Kashmiri require sub-zero temperature of around minus five degree Celsius for at least 15 days for full growth. But some sub-tropical varieties can be produced using the grafting method.”

Bashirul Sarkar, a local labourer who used to work in an orchard in Kashmir said, “I don’t know whether apple production is at all possible in this weather. If this works out then we can earn our living right here.”

The BDO said, “Under the national job guarantee scheme, a labourer gets around Rs 191 a day. We are trying to engage them in more jobs so that their earnings go up.”

It isn’t the first time the West Bengal government will try to grow apples. It had already begun an experiment in the hills of Darjeeling which is likely to bear fruit in 2020.

The first experiment in 2010 did not work out but agricultural scientists and farmers are hopeful that the plantations started in eight different locations will yield good results next year.

Bishnu Chettri, president of Kalimpong Krishak Kalyan Sangathan an NGO working for farmers said, “High density plantation, also known as precision farming, started in places such as Todey, Singji and Ghom Bhanjyang in 2018.”

The plantations are located above 3000 feet. The saplings were brought from Uttarakhand and 40 trained farmers were given saplings at subsidized rate.

Mahadev Chettri, senior scientific officer, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, said, “More proposals to start apple plantations are ready.”

Abhinay Bagdas, agriculture development officer, Bijanbari, said, “Saplings of low chill variety were distributed among 180 farmers at Rimbik and Nambla before Durga Puja this year. They are expected to bear fruit from 2021.”