Tribal areas of Jawhar earns tag of Mini-Mahabaleshwar for cultivating strawberry

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The tribal areas of Jawhar and Mokhada of Maharashtra were earlier known for the issues like malnutrition among the children, unemployment, and illiteracy, among others, and as a part of traditional farming, the farmers of these areas were engaged in producing Paddy and Ragi or the Foxtail millets. But now farmers are moving away from producing these traditional crops, The farmers have now started cultivating strawberry, which is especially grown in Mahabaleshwar, a famous hill station within the state. With the cultivation of strawberries, Jawhar has earned the tag of being called as mini-Mahabaleshwar.
Farmers now in Jawhar are engaging in the cultivation of strawberries with the assistance of the Department of Agriculture of the government . the assembly of this new crop in these tribal areas has helped in providing jobs to people, leading to reverse migration. On an experimental basis, about 86 farmers in Jawhar and Mokhada talukas have planted strawberries on 11 acres of land drawing huge profit. Many measures were taken by the govt to stop migration, unemployment and malnutrition in Jawhar and Mokhada.

Moreover, as no disease has been detected on these strawberries, the Department of Agriculture intends to convert this experimental cultivation to commercial farming from next year. The villagers are hopeful that strawberry farming will fetch them good returns henceforth and can also help them in overcoming problems with unemployment, illiteracy and malnutrition.