‘Darj Hills will be known worldwide for oranges, mushrooms & orchids soon’

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 15 Dec 2023, Darjeeling: “The Darjeeling Hills will be known worldwide for oranges, mushrooms and orchids. ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) polyhouses are all set to change the face of horticulture in the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong,” stated Dr Subrata Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Food Processing Industries and Horticulture, Government of West Bengal. 

He was addressing the gathering at the inauguration of the two-day-long 2nd edition of the Orange Festival at Mongpu in Darjeeling on Friday. The Cinchona Directorate has organised the festival. 

“Disease and pest attack has resulted in a steep decrease of the world-famous Darjeeling oranges. We are addressing the problem. We are consulting experts to find out ways and means of saving the oranges from disease and pests. 

We will hold a seminar shortly on this. I will also speak to the Chief Minister regarding this issue,” stated Arup Roy, minister in-charge of the Horticulture department. “Oranges have to be revived. We now know that with the introduction of new technology we will get much better yields. We have to train the orange cultivators. 

There is progress than last year and by the end of 2024 we hope to see changes on the ground. Disease-free high yield orange plants have been identified for grafting,” added Gupta. Anit Thapa, Chief Executive, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration emphasised on the need for growers to take up the onus to revive this golden cash crop. 

“The growers have to take the interest. Government will provide all the necessary backup but it is up to the growers to take the initiative,” stated Thapa. Also Read - KMC warns against converting garages to commercial spaces 

“About 1069 elite orange plants have been identified and geotagged. They have been identified from the farmers’ fields and also in the cinchona plantations. These plants are healthy, strong, disease-free, with good yield, producing good quality oranges and can be used as mother plants in case plants are required for large scale re-plantation. They can be used for grafting, budding and even for tissue culture,” stated Dr Samuel Rai, director, Cinchona and Medicinal Plants. 

The Mandarin Orange (Citrus reticulate Blanco) is a major cash crop of the Darjeeling Hills. It is grown in approximately 930 hectares here. Dr Gupta stated that DIY polyhouses have resulted in an increase in income of the farmers by 100 per cent. “Earlier the crop would be for four months. 

With the DIY polyhouses the crop can be grown round the year. At present there are 2500 polyhouses in the Hills. By the end of 2024 we will have 4000 more in the Hills,” added the Additional Chief Secretary. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/darj-hills-will-be-known-worldwide-for-oranges-mushrooms-orchids-soon-544388