The production of healthy Kasturi Basmati rice is facing a serious threat in the Sihunta area. Wild animals, particularly wild boars and monkeys, have caused fear among farmers, leading 75 percent of them to stop cultivating Kasturi Basmati. Only a few farmers are continuing to grow this nutritious rice variety. Kasturi Basmati is essential for health due to its high nutritional content and has been supplied to various districts, including Shimla, from this region. However, farmers are losing interest in cultivating it.
Farmers like Kulbhushan Upmanyu, Vijay Kumar, Pawan Kumar, Ruldu Ram, Sanjay Kumar, Mahal Singh, and Madan Lal reveal that the terror of wild animals has significantly reduced the yield. In the past, the area produced around four hundred quintals of Kasturi Basmati, but due to the animal menace, the production has dropped drastically in the last couple of years. Presently, the yield has plummeted to only 50 quintals, causing financial hardship for the farmers.
Dr. Kuldeep Dhiman, Deputy Director of the Agriculture Department in Chamba, suggests that farmers can protect their crops by using solar fencing. The government has initiated a solar fencing scheme to help farmers safeguard their fields. Farmers can opt for individual or collective fencing to prevent wild animals from damaging their crops. For more details, farmers can contact the department officials