Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kapurthala, under the Directorate of Extension Education, PAU, Ludhiana, and ICAR ATARI Zone-I, Ludhiana, organized a programme on June 4, 2024, to promote the new melon varieties Punjab Amrit and Punjab Mithas.
Giving details, Dr Harinder Singh, Associate Director, KVK Kapurthala, said that the district is renowned for its melon cultivation, covering an area of approximately 1000 hectares where hybrids like Madhu, Samrat, Farmer Glory, Bobby, and Jannat are predominantly grown. However, he elaborated that these hybrid seeds are costly, leading to higher input costs for farmers.
“To address this, KVK Kapurthala conducted demonstrations of the newly released Punjab Amrit and Punjab Mithas varieties, aiming to reduce seed costs. To assess these demonstrations at farmers’ and consumer levels, KVK organized an event involving progressive melon growers, officials from allied departments, and buyers to gauge their preferences,” Dr Singh informed.
S. Hardyal Singh Gaznipur, Member of the Board of Management, PAU, Ludhiana, was the chief guest, sharing his farming experience and emphasizing the importance of farmer-scientist-consumer interactions in accelerating technology adoption and refinement. Dr Amandeep Kaur, Associate Professor (Vegetable Science), highlighted the economic and sensory benefits of Punjab Amrit and Punjab Mithas compared to popular hybrids like Bobby and Jannat, encouraging farmers to adopt these varieties for better cost-benefit ratios.
Dr Harinder Singh, Associate Director, KVK Kapurthala, noted the importance of consumer preference in technology adoption, stressing the need to understand consumer tastes in a changing market. This was the first event by KVK Kapurthala to engage diverse groups in tasting and evaluating the new melon varieties.
Dr Sukhdeep Singh Hundal, Deputy Director (Horticulture), praiPAU’s efforts in developing cost-effective melon varieties comparable to popular hybrids. Progressive farmers S. Tarlochan Singh, S. Ichha Singh, S. Gurdev Singh, and S. Ajit Singh Aujla shared their positive experiences with the new varieties, expressing satisfaction with their performance.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Guljar Singh Sanghera, Director, RRS Kapurthala, who congratulated the KVK team for the successful organization of the event. The attendees enjoyed sampling the new melon varieties, marking a promising step towards broader adoption.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=9162
