Fulfilling his commitment for a more vibrant Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will add another chapter of growth in the area on Sunday when he will virtually inaugurate the Strawberry Festival in Jhansi.

The Bundelkhand Expressway and the Defence Manufacturing Corridor are some of the mega initiatives taken by the Yogi government to transform this region. The fresh impetus to the agriculture sector in Bundelkhand is sure to change the lives of farmers for good.

The soil of Jhansi is very suitable for the cultivation of strawberries and in order to promote it in the entire Bundelkhand region, the  ‘Strawberry Festival’, being organised from January 17 to February 16, will showcase the potential in strawberry cultivation.

Informing about the new step in terms of looking for new avenues in the field of  agriculture, Jhansi District Magistrate Andra Vamsi said that the region was known for the production of pulses and ginger but fruit cultivation was being taken up in a big way by promoting strawberry production.

He said the chief minister personally took interest in the development of the Bundelkhand region and saw to it that the farmers got an option for better income through strawberry cultivation.

“It has been cultivated for the first time in the region and two families of Jhansi have successfully cultivated strawberry without any aid from the government,” he said.

The region was never known for growing fruits and these families successfully took to strawberries cultivation with the help of drip irrigation and sprinklers.

“A work plan has also been made to encourage strawberry farming in Jhansi and other regions and this (strawberry) could well become a new option of better income for farmers,” Vamsi said.

Workshops would also be organised during the festival and farmers would be encouraged to opt for cultivation of strawberries. The district administration would also be providing strawberry plants to the people, Vamsi added.

According to Gaurav Garg, an expert on strawberry farming, it can well be a profitable option for the farmers.

“A plant of strawberry costs about Rs 70 to Rs 80 and it gives about one kilogram of strawberries. The taste of the strawberry grown in Jhansi is just like those of Mahabaleshwar. The festival will definitely boost the possibilities of growing strawberries in the region and provide another option in agriculture,” he said.