Rajasthan State PCS

• 03 Jun 2024

Fennel Production in Rajasthan

Why in News?

Following a three-year-long study, four desert districts in Rajasthan, where farmers depend on saline water for irrigation, are set to emerge as hubs of fennel production.

• The study was conducted in Bikaner, Nagaur, Churu, and Barmer districts

Key Points

• Taxonomically classified as Foeniculum vulgare, fennel is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves.
• Rajasthan and Gujarat are the leading fennel-producing States in India, contributing about 96% of the total production.
  • In Rajasthan, the highest amount of fennel is cultivated in Nagaur district, covering 10,000 hectares. Its cultivation also takes place in Sirohi, Jodhpur, Jalore, Bharatpur, and Sawai Madhopur districts.
• The trials measured the yield and tested salt tolerance of the different fennel varieties and found encouraging results.
  • The fennel variety, RF-290, was found to be viable for irrigation with saline water.
• Drip irrigation with saline water could expand the area under fennel production and increase productivity to make agriculture remunerative for farmers cultivating the spice.
• According to the study, the experimental irrigation led to the production of about nine quintals of fennel per hectare and good production of fennel can also be obtained in areas where farming is done through tube wells.