The Hindu : Other States / Punjab News : Potato growers to bring new technology from Britain

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Monday, Jun 21, 2004

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Potato growers to bring new technology from Britain

JALANDHAR, JUNE 20. Potato growers of the Doaba region of Punjab, known as land of potatoes, are all set to bring new technology from Britain to further improve their specialisation to develop potato seeds.

The general secretary of the Potato Growers Association, Jaswinder Singh Sangha, would participate in this year's `royal show' of farmers' international trade fair, scheduled to be organised in Britain from July 4 to 7.

Mr. Sangha, who hails from the family known as `potato king' in the country, is one of the 38 Indian farmers selected to participate in the international event. "I am happy that out of 38 farmers,12 belong to Punjab and as far as potato growers are concerned two farmers including me are representing them," Mr. Sangha said here today.

The potato grower revealed that he would explore the potential of adopting new technology, which was being already adopted in most of the developed and developing coutries. ``Although we are doing very good in seed development and supplying the same to farmers all over the country, for the export of seed, we need some new technology to meet international standards,'' he said.

"The sandy land of Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts is quite conducive for potato seed development and on this land we can develop seeds in the seasons of both winter and summer, which is not possible in the rest of the world, including India, and by participating in the international event, we will try to find the solution of the crop diseases by exploring the methods being adopted by the developed countries," Mr. Sangha said.

He said that few months back some of the potato growers participated in a British Council Trade Fair in England and invited the British engineers to visit the Doaba region for the development of new equipment like planters, diggers and graders.

During their visit, the British engineers after assessing the cultivation process, were glad to see the potential of the land and assured of providing new technology to upgrade the quality of seeds to meet the international standard of crop, he added.

Giving details of his proposed visit to Britain, Mr. Sangha said that over 1.6 lakh farmers and government servants connected with the field of agriculture and related sectors from over 90 countries would participate in the prestigious event. British trade authorities had approached the Sate Government for seeking the names of progressive farmers from the State and names of as many as 12 farmers got clearance from the British High Commission in India for participation in the mega event, he added.

Apart from him, Mr. Sangha said members of participating team from Punjab included Sukhpal Singh Bhullar, proprietor of Bhullar Orchards and Seed Farm, Bathinda; Surinder Singh, president of Dhesian Kahana Cooperative Multipurpose Society, Jalandhar; Mohinder Singh Grewal, proprietor of Roopa Vegetable Seed Farm, Ludhiana; and K.S. Pannu, additional registrar, Cooperative Societies, Punjab.

--PTI

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Potato growers to bring new technology from Britain