Every India tadka consists of a pinch of Hing or Asafoetida. With so many ethnic groups, Indian cuisine has a lot of varieties. You will find Hing in almost all of them. Today’s fact. India has to import Hing from Afghanistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan. It was never a native crop of India. Even though we consume about 40% of the Hing of the world, we never tried to establish a Hing cultivation in India.
Last year’s data shows that India has imported about 1500 tonnes of raw Hing from Afghanistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan. The import cost was about Rs 942 crore. Finally, the Centre decided to try this venture inside the country. Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) has identified farmers from Lahul Valley of Himachal Pradesh to start the cultivation of Hing.
The identified region is a 300 hectares wasteland in the remote cold desert. The environment conditions are suitable for the crop. This is a big push from the government to reduce the import bill, in order to make the country self-reliant. After successful cultivation for five years with good yield, the cultivation can be extended to other willing farmers. If all goes well, the farmers will also earn a good profit. The state and union government will be helping them with monetary support momentarily.
Hing aids digestion as it is rich in fiber. It is a well-known solution to stomach ache and bloating, especially for infants and toddlers. It also has anti-bacterial properties that keep our stomach and intestines clean. It is a natural laxative and also boosts the metabolism of the digestive system.
With so many benefits of Hing, it was high time for India to start cultivating it on its land. If this venture succeeds then Hing is going to be beneficial for both the stomach and pocket.
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