Pune: The state's tribal development department has sanctioned a kitty of Rs1.20 crore to promote strawberry cultivation in tribal villages near the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary.
The initiative aims to create a sustainable income source for tribal farmers in the region, and as part of the project, each farmer will receive approximately Rs46,000 in financial assistance to procure the necessary equipment and saplings for strawberry cultivation.
According to officials, 55 farmers have already benefitted from this scheme so far, and over 200 more are expected to receive assistance in the coming days.
Strawberry cultivation is gradually increasing in this area, which includes around 50 villages in the Ambegaon tehsil, approximately 140km from Pune city. The villages are situated in the hills of the Sahyadri ranges, where the environment is similar to that of Mahabaleshwar in Satara — a well-known market for strawberries. The clean air and surrounding dense forests of Bhimashankar help maintain the ideal temperature for the strawberry crop.
Read more at The Times of India
