For the first time, Kidekhar Tshoesey Chirup Detshen, a women’s commercial farming group from Kidekhar in Monggar is trying a new method of producing large quantity of hybrid tomatoes. The Agriculture Research and Development Centre in Monggar (ARDC) introduced the method, known as protected tomato cultivation.
The group of seven women is growing hybrid tomatoes inside a greenhouse using the new method. This is expected to improve the yield and meet the increasing demand for tomatoes amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
The group has cultivated around 200 saplings of hybrid tomato inside the greenhouse. The farmers will be able to harvest and sell the produce by July.
The group has been growing vegetables commercially since 2017.
Dorji Tshomo, a member of the group, said that initially they used greenhouse to grow only vegetable seedlings. “However, agriculture officials said that we can grow high yield crops in the protected area as well and taught us this new method. We are expecting a better yield of tomatoes this year,” she said.
Another member, Nidup Pelmo, said that while they are hoping this new method will benefit them, they are also worried since they are trying this method for the first time.
According to the Karma Yangzom, Horticulture Officer at ARDC Monggar, growing hybrid crops in the protected area has many benefits such as less requirement of soil for higher yield and production, more control over pest and diseases and farmers can produce year round crops within short span of time.
She also said that proper crop management is necessary while growing high value crops in the protected area and protecting the crop from pests is important.
“There is a pest called whiteflies which attacks the crop if it enters the protected area. While carrying out a research last year we found out that the scent from marigold plants reduces the flies entering into the greenhouse. We have therefore planted marigold plants in between the tomato plants this year,” said Karma Yangzom.
She added that the use of such technology could encourage youth to take up farming and provide employment opportunities for unemployed youth in the country.
The Centre has also promoted protected tomato cultivation in most of the Land Use Certificate Pilot Projects and a few potential sites in Monggar and Lhuentse.
Meanwhile, the Centre is also carrying out research on protected organic citrus cultivation to study how such technology will help in combating the common disease called citrus greening in the country.
CARLEP-IFAD is financially supporting the project.
Sonam Tshering
