The Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Department has introduced two high-yielding varieties of wheat -- DBW 222 and DBW 187 -- to boost foodgrains production in the state. The high-yielding wheat varieties, DBW 222 and DBW 187, have yield of 60 quintals per hectare, compared to 35-37 per quintal of existing varieties.

Around 23,000 quintal seeds of these two varieties have been supplied to farmers at 50 per cent subsidy, subject matter specialist, at the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Department Rajiv Minhas said.

Minhas further added that DBW222 (Karan Narendra) has high rust resistance and lodging tolerance and possesses better agronomic attributes besides adaptation to sowing time, while DBW 187 (Karan Vandana) is extremely rich in protein and iron.

The new varieties has been timely sown (October 15 to November 15) in lower hills of?Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, Solan, Bilaspur and Sirmaur districts as rains provided required moisture in the soil and paved way for timely sowing of wheat even in the rainfed areas, said director agriculture B R Takhi.

Wheat is being produced in 3.30 lakh hectare in the state and the production target is 6.17 lakh MT (metric ton) while the total foodgrains production during 2022-23?is estimated at 1649.97 thousand MT. Out of this, a target of 687.41 thousand tonnes has been planned for Rabi and 962.56 thousand MT for Kharif?during the current financial year 2022-23.

Wheat, paddy, maize, barley and oil seeds are the main foodgrains. Besides foodgrains, potato, vegetables and ginger are the main commercial crops of the state and an area of 82,000 hectare is proposed to be covered under vegetables, 15.10 thousand hectare under potato and three thousand hectare under ginger (green).

The farmers are diversifying to commercial crops for higher returns and growing high-yielding and exotic varieties of vegetables. Himachal, which is known as the apple bowl, is also emerging as a vegetable hub, officials in the agriculture department said.

The production target for vegetables, potato and ginger (green), has been envisaged at 1759 thousand MT, 195 thousand MT, and 34.00 thousand respectively for the year 2022-23.?The production of vegetables is increasing fast in the state and its production has already surpassed foodgrains production in the state.

(With PTI inputs)