ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI), Nagpur organized a two-day training program during 10-11th June, 2024 in the institute for citrus growers of Shajapur district, Madhya Pradesh. A total of 27 trainees from Moman Badodiya, Kalapipal and Shujalpur blocks participated in the program. The training program was organized under the APEDA-sponsored project 'Capacity Development Program on Adoption of Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) for Citrus Farmers.'
Dr. Dilip Ghosh, Director, ICAR-CCRI, Nagpur presented the introductory remarks and highlighted the institute’s technology of production of disease-free planting materials which has been acknowledged by the farming community countrywide. Dr. Ghosh encouraged the farmers to adopt the scientific package of practices for citrus cultivation and procure planting materials only from certified nurseries.
The Chief Guest of the program, Prof. C. D. Mayee, Ex-chairman, ASRB, New Delhi urged the trainees to form FPOs to reap the maximum benefits of government schemes. Guest of Honour, Ravindra Boratkar, President, Agrovision Foundation, Nagpur motivated the farmers and lauded the efforts of the institute towards the betterment of the farming community.
In the technical sessions, scientists from ICAR-CCRI guided farmers on various important aspects of citrus cultivation. Dr. Darshan Kadam guided farmers on Citrus Orchard Establishment and Management, Dr. A.K Das dealt in detail with the aspect of Disease management of Citrus, Dr. N.M. Meshram guided farmers about the control measures of various insect pests which attack citrus crop, Dr. Sangeeta Bhattacharyya made farmers aware of Citrus Decline and the related Rejuvenation Technologies while Dr. S.S Roy briefed them about the Post Harvest Management technologies of citrus.
CCRI Technical Bulletins on ‘Nagpuri Santra ki Unnat Baghbani’ and ‘Pocket Diary of Citrus Diseases and Insect Pests’ were distributed to farmers. The program also included field visit to ICAR-CCRI nurseries, experimental plots, insect pest identification, Bordeaux mixture preparation and demonstration of pesticide spraying through drone. An exposure visit of the trainee farmers was also conducted to the orchard of commercial and progressive citrus grower Akhil Junghare in Hatla, Nagpur.
Dr. Mukesh Singh was the coordinator from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Shajapur and Dr. Sangeeta Bhattacharyya was the training coordinator from ICAR-CCRI, Nagpur.
