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Kalimpong, April 5: The famed Mandarin Oranges of Darjeeling are set to become juicier and healthier.
Or that is what the officials, holding a course on organic farming of oranges at the Citrus Dieback Research Station (CDRS) at Dungra Bustee since yesterday, are saying.

The three-day residential training programme, supposed to be the first of its kind here, is being conducted by a Bangalore-based organic farm, Satavic Farms, in collaboration with the DGHC.

A senior scientific officer at CDRS, Kishore Thapa, said: “Until now, this method of farming had been implemented only in some tea gardens but it can be extensively used even for horticultural products like oranges. We want the farmers to shift to organic farming to create a sustainable agricultural system in the hills.”

“Chemicals also damage soil fertility, causing the soil to become toxic and leading to soil erosion.” Though initial costs are expected to rise, the international demand for these products will ensure that the change to organic farming is viable, he added.