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Strawberry cultivation becoming popular in Jurpukhuri village

By Shambhu Boro

JURPUKHURI (DHEKAJULI), Feb 20 - The lesser known Jurpukhuri village near Gormara-Santipur area in Dhekaijuli LAC in Sonitpur district has become a focal point of strawberry cultivation. The remote hamlet inhabited by people of the Boro community, and located 30 km away from Dhekiajuli, is nowadays a major attraction for all concerned including officials from the Agricultural department and the media.

Seven farmers grouped under the banner of a Self-help group �Bithorai� led by a progressive youth of the area Ratul Mochahari, have taken up commercial cultivation of strawberry in a big way. It is important to mention here that due to various reasons, including insurgency, the unemployed youths and the school dropouts of the greater area, either go outside the State seeking employment or join the insurgents. A huge generation gap was created in this belt in the recent past.

However, different Boro national organisations, particularly the local unit of ABSU supported by it�s central committee often held various programmes creating awareness among the people on how economic and educational environment could be bettered for the benefit of the people. Meanwhile, with the BJP Government coming into power in the State, the new MLA of the Dhekiajuli LAC, Ashok Kumar Singhal has taken up a major initiative to show a way of livelihood through strawberry cultivation in the area.

The �Head-Man� of the SHG, Atul Machahari and the Bhaskar Bora who has been the helping hand for the successful growth of the venture, while talking to this reporter said that a good number of scattered farmers, mostly engaged in some traditional cultivation including paddy are now a days focusing more on strawberry cultivation due to its commercial viability.

According to him, farmers under the banner of the SHG �Bithorai� were supplied 12,000 saplings of strawberry under the scheme, HMNEH 2016/17, of the Government of Assam. �The first years� procurement of a good amount of strawberry has already been done after the production began. Not only in the Jurpukhuri area, farmers from various corners of Dhekiajuli LAC like Sirajuli, Rowmari, Thelamara and Panchnoi area have taken up strawberry cultivation collectively, in the last few years. If the trend continues, there is a probability of their shifting to large scale cultivation,� they said. They added that the farmers of the area took up the commercial cultivation following efforts by the local MLA, Ashok Singhal to show the commercial viability of the juicy fruit.

The local MLA, Ashok Singhal the brain behind the entire project speaking on the demand and commercial viability of the strawberry cultivation said that the genus Fragaria collectively known as strawberry is cultivated worldwide for its fruit and is widely appreciated for its unique characteristics like fragrance, bright red colour, juicy texture and sweetness. The legislator who is also working in the field of entrepreneurship among the common poor and needy people of the constituency further informed that strawberry is consumed in large quantities, either fresh or in such prepared foods as preserves, fruit juice, pies, ice creams, milkshakes, and chocolates. �It was first bred in Brittany, (France) in the 1750s. Technically, it is an aggregate accessory fruit, meaning that the fleshy part is derived not from the plant�s ovaries but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries. Each apparent �seed� (achene) on the outside of the fruit is actually one of the ovaries of the flower, with a seed inside it. By the 16th century, references of cultivation of the strawberry became more common. People began using it for its supposed medicinal properties and botanists began naming the different species. Gradually in India then in the north eastern region it has gained popularity in the agricultural sector as people like strawberry-flavoured sweets the most,� Singhal said adding that besides selling in the local market the marketing of the strawberry production is done mostly in Guwahati.

The farmers said that they are receiving Rs 500 per kg for the produce while the cost of production is only Rs 150 to 200. �We feel that if the agencies concerned including the Agricultural Department come forward, the sustainability of this venture will be maintained,� they said.

On the other hand, Dr PC Deka, KVK, Sonitpur said that though the fruit is not very familiar among the farmers, but slowly it is being grown in more and more areas.

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