ICAR-CCRI Conducts Training Program for Citrus Farmers of Agar Malwa District of Madhya Pradesh

A two day training program was organized by ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI), Nagpur during 06-07th June, 2024 in the institute for citrus growers of Agar Malwa district, Madhya Pradesh. A total of 21 trainees from Badod, Agar, Susner and Nalkheda blocks participated in the program. The training program was organized under the APEDA sponsored project "Capacity Development Programme on Adoption of Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) for Citrus Farmers”.

Dr. Dilip Ghosh, Director, ICAR-CCRI, Nagpur presented the introductory remarks and briefed about the overall situation of the citrus industry in India to trainee farmers and highlighted the importance of selection of land, rootstock, and planting materials for citrus cultivation. 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, Ajit Kumar Saxena, Chairman cum Managing Director, MOIL, Nagpur urged the trainees to follow the “learning-from-each-other” (LEO) method during the 2 days of the training program. He also wished to collaborate with ICAR-CCRI in restoring wastelands after mining with a tress of acid lime (nimbu).

Guest of Honour, Poonam Kapoor, Regional Head (APEDA), Bhopal and Chhattisgarh, briefed about the APEDA schemes for citrus exporters. In the technical sessions, scientists from ICAR-CCRI guided farmers on various important aspects of citrus cultivation.

Dr. Thirugnanavel guided farmers on Citrus Orchard Establishment and Management, Dr. Dilip Ghosh 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 crops, Dr. Sangeeta Bhattacharyya made farmers aware about 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. Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Agar Malwa coordinated the tour of the farmers. Dr. Sangeeta Bhattacharyya was the training coordinator from ICAR-CCRI, Nagpur.