Una 30 June:- Agriculture and animal husbandry have become important sources of income for 50-year-old Raghuveer Singh, a resident of Lower Badhera in Una district. After serving the country for about 22 years in the paramilitary force CRPF, Raghuveer Singh took care of his ancestral land and has made animal husbandry along with agriculture the basis of his economy. After retiring from CRPF in the year 2016, during the last about 6 to 7 years, he has been associated with various agriculture and animal husbandry development schemes run by the government from time to time and today he has moved ahead towards becoming a progressive farmer.
When Raghuveer Singh was talked to in this regard, he told that first of all he joined the JICA project of the Agriculture Department and received training in new techniques of agriculture. He also took steps towards mixed farming. He told that he is currently doing mixed farming, which includes the production of maize, wheat, potatoes, sugarcane as well as various types of vegetables.

*Advance maize crop is getting good prices, production capacity has also increased*

He told that along with other farmers, he has sown the early harvested maize crop. The early harvested maize has been sown in three phases, the first phase being in March, the second in April and the third in May. He told that the first phase is being harvested in June, while the second phase will be harvested in July and the third in August. He says that due to early harvesting of maize, while it is getting good price in the market, the production capacity has also increased.

*By adopting mixed farming, income is obtained throughout the year, using modern techniques of farming*

Raghuveer Singh says that he is earning an average income of about 5 to 6 lakh rupees per year from farming. He told that due to mixed farming, he keeps getting income from different crops throughout the year. He told that he has also received training about advanced farming through the Agriculture Department. Apart from this, he has also received necessary training about mixed farming through the JICA project. Along with this, he also gets guidance from departmental officials from time to time.

*Animal husbandry is also strengthening the economy, natural fertilizer is being prepared*

He told that he is doing animal husbandry along with agriculture. He has also reared cows and buffaloes. He is earning an average income of 2 to 2.5 lakh rupees per year from the milk products obtained from them. Apart from this, he is also preparing natural fertilizer from the dung of animals. Natural fertilizer is good for crops instead of chemical fertilizer and the crops prepared from it are also healthy. Also, the cost of crops also reduces due to natural fertilizer.
He said that if agriculture business is adopted with true dedication and hard work, then not only better income can be earned from it but employment can also be provided to other people. He said that agriculture is an important base of our economy and we should stay connected with it by adopting new and modern techniques of agriculture. He also appealed to the educated youth of the district and the state to join it by adopting modern techniques of agriculture.

What the officials say:

Deputy Director Agriculture Una Kulbhushan Dhiman told that the trend towards advance crop of maize is increasing in Una district and the department is also providing technical support to such farmers from time to time to encourage them. He told that the farmers of advance maize crop are getting good prices by selling it in Hoshiarpur Mandi. Raghuveer Singh, resident of Lower Badhera, Una is earning good income from the advance crop of maize. Apart from this, he has also been associated with the Japan funded JICA project for a long time and is creating additional sources of income by adopting mixed farming.