Kashmir: Village farmers in Sirha cultivating lemongrass to utilize barren land 

The move is also proving to be fruitful for people as it is also driving away monkeys which are a menace in the region.

The villagers used to grow maize, rice and wheat but often suffered losses due to the monkey menace. So the initiative titled Lemongrass Cultivation to Counter Monkey Menace was started under the flagship Back to Village programme. Four to five farmers from village Sirha shifted to lemongrass cultivation, reports ANI.

Set up under the centrally sponsored scheme 'Aroma Mission,' a single unit oil distillation machine yields about 12-13 litres of lemongrass oil in a year, reports the news agency.

Tilakraj, 67, a farmer told ANI, "Earlier we had to go to Jammu for oil distillation and sale purposes but now as the machine has been set up here in this village, it saves the additional expenses. It adds to our profit. In one year income goes up to Rs 60,000."

The farmer said more people should engage themselves in lemongrass farming.

"First more farmers should try to get into lemongrass farming with the help of the government. Secondly we want a counter at Katra to sell our products," said Tilakraj.

Ravindar Thaploo, Chief Agriculture Officer, Reasi said, "With the introduction of lemongrass monkey footfalls have drastically reduced. Now with the distillation of lemongrass oil we are further planning to increase its production once the lockdown is over and start it in PPP mode. This project is still in its infancy."

The initiative started last year.