In Rajasthan's western desert regions, traditionally known for their sparse vegetation, a significant shift towards agriculture has been observed. Barmer district, in particular, has emerged as a notable area for the cultivation of pomegranates and potatoes. Official figures from the state's agriculture department highlight that during the 2022-23 period, Barmer alone reported a potato cultivation area of 5 hectares with a yield of 500 tons. Other desert districts like Jalore, Jodhpur, and Bikaner also contributed to the potato production with 267 tons, 245 tons, and 666 tons respectively.
Moreover, pomegranate cultivation has seen a remarkable increase across the state. The total production reached 156,844 tons over 17,165 hectares in the same timeframe. Barmer district led this surge with a production of 102,112 tons from 8,466 hectares. The success of pomegranate cultivation in Jalore and Jodhpur was also noted.
The economic impact on local farmers has been significant, with one noting, "Farmers of Barmer are selling pomegranates worth lakhs of rupees annually," and highlighted the growing demand for Barmer's pomegranates in international markets, including Nepal, Bangladesh, and Dubai.
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Source: business-standard.com