Agricultural ties with Israel helping Indian farmers

New Delhi: Israel is quietly intensifying its cooperation with Indian agriculture, helping farmers multiply their income with better practices, yields and choosing the right crops or vegetables in a success story that is boosting bilateral ties that have strengthened under the Narendra Modi government.

Farmers are already reporting successes in places such as Haryana, where Israeli farm technology has helped farmers in about 500 acres to switch to vegetables and floriculture. They are making much more money and the farms are gaining from diversification.

Manoj Bhatia's income has multiplied tenfold by planting vegetables in polyhouses under controlled conditions. "I earn a net profit of Rs 7-8 lakh per year from vegetables grown in polyhouses. By growing wheat and rice I earned Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh only," said Bhatia, a farmer from village Mohiuddinpur in Karnal district.

He cultivates vegetables on 30 acres, including 3 acres in polyhouses. He moved out of commercial wheat and rice planting two years ago. Israeli expertise has reached farmers from Haryana to Maharashtra, with nine demonstration farms already operating and another 20 in the pipeline. Dan Alluf, counselor, International Development Cooperation, Science and Agriculture, Embassy of Israel in India said more demonstration farms are being added in the first two phases of the plan.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.