The income of farmers which was around Rs. 40,000-50,000 per hectare from traditional crops have increased to about Rs. 1,00,000 per hectare by cultivation and extraction of wild marigold oil.
New Delhi: Farmers in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, keen for new livelihood options to supplement their income from traditional crops like maize, paddy, and wheat, have found a new lease of life.
The cultivation of aromatic plants has given them additional income. They have extracted essential oil from the improved variety of wild marigold (Tagetes minuta) that has been introduced, and the profit from wild marigold oil has doubled the income of farmers as compared to traditional maize, wheat and paddy crops.
The improvement in the fortune of the farmers has been brought about through interventions made by Society for Technology and Development (STD), Mandi Core Support group, SEED Division, DST. STD initiated cultivation and processing of aromatic plants (wild marigold, improved variety of IHBT) involving the farming community in technical collaboration with IHBT-CSIR, Palampur, in Parwai village, Bhatiyat Block in Chamba, an Aspirational District.
