Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Nov 18 (ANI): Aided by the new schemes of the state government, farmers in the Moradabad Mandal in the recent days have started earning well by switching to the farming of medicinal crops, especially basil, asparagus and aloe vera, said Harjeet Singh in-charge of Horticulture department."Under the Medicinal crop scheme, the government provides almost 30 per cent discount to farmers. Like in the aloe vera crop, the cost comes to close to Rs 56,000 per hectare and the government gives Rs 16,000 to him directly through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme," Singh told ANI on Sunday."As per our target, asparagus is to be grown in 35 hectares, basil in 55, aloe vera in 20 hectares, this has been done, the process of giving farmers the benefits will begin shortly. Many farmers have also started doing farming of medicinal crops, without the government's aid, seeing its benefits," he added.Farmers too have expressed satisfaction with the changed farming practices over the traditional ones."I have sown asparagus in 19 bigahs, 12 bigahs of tulsi and 16 bigahs of kalmegh (green chireta). These crops will be sold for the production of traditional herbal medicines. They are sold off to big cities for like Delhi, Aligarh. I have started sowing these for the past 5-6 months and I am happy with the returns," Sukhi, a farmer told ANI on Sunday."We have started farming medicinal crops as they yield more returns," Prempal, another farmer who has planted the same said.Speaking about the ways in which the farming of medicinal crops helps farmers in multiple ways, Harjeet Singh added, "Almost in 120 hectares the medicinal crops are being farmed under our department, they are drawn towards it as it has multiple benefits. Like the seeds of basil, its oil and even its branches are sold as it is used. Likewise, aloe vera too is demanded in huge quantities these days as its consumption has increased throughout the country and it fetches good prices too." (ANI)

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