KUSHINAGAR/LUCKNOW

'Haldi' or turmeric, a commonly used Indian spice, will now be declared as One District One Product (ODOP) of Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar.

Turmeric has a long history of use in Asian, African and Caribbean cuisines.

The ODOP tag for turmeric will help Kushinagar, a well known Buddhist pilgrimage site, tap its potential like Erode, Sangli and Nizamabad districts of South India. These districts are known for high-volume cultivation of turmeric.

Turmeric in Kushinagar is mainly cultivated in Dudahi, Ramkola, Bishunpura, Khadda, Severhi, Kaptanganj, Kathkuiyan, and Fazilnagar.

The Uttar Pradesh government will explore the possibilities of turmeric cultivation in Kushinagar at its level.

A spokesperson of the U.P. government said that turmeric is cultivated on about 800 hectares in the entire district. The yield per hectare is about 36.77 quintals.  In Ramkola block alone, turmeric is cultivated on more than 200 hectares.

At present, about 10,000 farmers of the district are associated with the cultivation of turmeric.

Agricultural officer B.M. Tripathi, said that in the agro climate zone of Kushinagar, Rajendra Sonia, Rajendra Sonali, Narendra Haldi-1 are the highest yielding species. If quality seeds of better species are provided and cooperation in processing, packing and marketing of the produce is given, then turmeric can change the fortunes of the farmers of Kushinagar.

Efforts have also been made by Tata Trusts at a limited level. A company was formed by bringing together 1,150 farmers. A processing unit of limited capacity has also been set up but the government will have to come forward to make Turmeric a brand like Kala Namak Rice of Siddharth Nagar.

Kushinagar has better connectivity from Bihar to Bengal and north-eastern states by a four-lane road. Once the international airport is built, it will be accessible to most countries too.

Turmeric also known as Haldi is the most effective nutritional supplement. It has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and is beneficial in pain, injuries and dental diseases.It also helps in boosting immunity and purifies blood. Not only is it beneficial for the skin but the melatonin present in it is helpful in sleep disorders. The yellow colour in turmeric comes from its main active ingredient known as curcumin which inhibits the growth of cancer cells.