Lahaul Valley, October 20: Hing cultivation started in India for the first time recently. The country started cultivating asafoetida, for the first time, owing to the combined efforts of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT). Its first seedling was planted in the Kwaring village of Lahaul valley in  Himachal Pradesh on October 15.

Asafoetida, commonly known as hing is an important ingredient used in many cuisines in Indian sub-continent and it is widely consumed by Indian households. Apart from being used as a spice, it is also known for its medicinal properties. It is used as a laxative, sedative, and is effective in controlling high blood pressure. India consumes around 40 percent of the world's total hing production. Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology Initiates Asafoetida Farming in Lahaul Valley.

However, because of a lack of desired cultivation conditions- cold and dry climate- India has been importing hing, thereby spending a good amount of its forex reserves.

Dr Sanjay Kumar, Director IHBT said spoke to TOI and said, "It’ll cost farmers nearly Rs 3 lakh per hectares over next five years and give them a net return of minimum Rs 10 lakh from the fifth year onwards. We will in collaboration with state governments provide support to farmers with finance and technical know-how. It’ll be a gamechanger for farmers in the cold desert region of the country.”

According to reports, Kumar was quoted saying, "The hing will be cultivated in a staggered manner so so that farmers in certain areas would start getting its benefit from fifth years onward before its expansion to more areas in Himachal Pradesh and subsequently in cold desert areas of other Himalayan states/UT.” Farmers Begin Cultivating Asafoetida in Himachal's Lahaul Valley, Thanks to CSIR-IHBT.

IHBT has planted hing seeds in around five hectares of land in Himachal Pradesh and has planned to increase the net sown area of hing to 300 hectares over the next three years. In June this year, the CSIR signed an MoU with the agriculture ministry of Himachal Pradesh to cultivate hing in the state over the next five years.

India once attempted to procure asafoetida seeds between 1963 and 1989, but there were no results published on it. Since 2016 CISR  has been researching on growing hing locally, as well.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2020 12:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).