Crops are flourishing in the Vikasnagar block of Dehradun as part of efforts to revive the ‘Doon Basmati’ variety. On Saturday, Chief Development Officer (CDO) Abhinav Shah conducted field inspections in the villages of Jassowala, Dhakrani, Herbertpur, and Fatehpur Grant, and interacted directly with the farmers.
The CDO noted that cultivation has been carried out on 75 hectares this year, compared to 65 hectares last year. Through the ‘Reap’ initiative, the produce is being procured directly from farmers and marketed under the ‘House of Himalayas’ brand.
When farmers raised concerns regarding seed availability and pricing, the CDO instructed officials to promptly determine a fair price for Doon Basmati and to immediately establish a ‘seed bank’ for certified seeds. Additionally, the CDO visited the ‘Amulya Nidhi Organic Farm’ in Herbertpur and commended the efforts being made in organic farming.
