Celebrate this Holi with Ludhiana agri varsity’s flower-based colours

The colours, made by primarily using marigold and rose flowers in yellow, orange and purple, are now available in packs of 50 gm each; they can be procured from the department, plant physiologist Shalini Jhanjii, who is overseeing the project said

Residents will have the opportunity to celebrate Holi with herbal colours made using local flowers by Punjab Agricultural University’s (PAU) floriculture.

The colours were developed by PAU’s floriculture department in Ludhiana. (HT Photo)

The colours, made by primarily using marigold and rose flowers in yellow, orange and purple, are now available in packs of 50 gm each. They can be procured from the department, plant physiologist Shalini Jhanjii, who is overseeing the project said.

Explaining how the colours were a better alternative to the artificial colours available in the market, she said, “Those synthetic colours have dyes which react with water as one uses more and more water to remove those they become more intense, while our colours were very easy to remove.”

“Besides, the artificial colours use chemicals and even a small amount of glass, which could cause skin problems and worse if swallowed,” she added.

The trials on the product, Jahnjii said, began around three years ago. In June last year, the product received a nod from the varsity’s research evaluation committee. The department has since conducted seven odd lectures on the value addition opportunity for the farmers.

Sustainability for the win

“We’ll make sure that no flower crop goes to waste if it cannot be sold in the market,” Jhanjii said.

She said the department has been setting up stalls on Kisan Melas to take the product to more and more farmers, adding, “A lot of farmers enquired about how they could also get into the practice.”

Jhanjii said the department had received a value-additional project from the state government to train farmers on this and help them with the know-how of how to set up facilities to develop their independent enterprises.

“We have been reaching out to the farmers through our contact group and we already have interested candidates,” she said, adding that soon they will chalk out a plan for the training.

Interested farmers can approach the varsity at the department.