Biofortified carrot variety developed by farmer

​Madhuban Gajar, a biofortified carrot variety with high β-carotene and iron content developed by Shri Vallabhhai Vasrambhai Marvaniya, a farmer scientist from Junagadh district, Gujarat is benefitting more than 150 local farmers in the area. During 1943, Shri Vallabhhai Vasrambhai Marvaniya found that a local carrot variety which was profoundly used for fodder to improve the quality of milk. He selectively cultivated this variety and sold this carrot in the market at a good price. Since then, he, along with family, is working for the conservation and development of this cultivar.During the early years of the development of this variety,Shri Vallabhhai selected the best plants for seed production and grew them in a small area for domestic consumption as well as for marketing. Later on, demand for this carrot grew, and he started cultivation on a large scale during the 1950’s. He also started distributing the seeds to other farmers in his village and adjoining areas in the 1970s. During 1985, he started selling the seeds on a large scale. 

• The variety is being cultivated in more than 1000 hectares of land in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh during the last three years.
• The Madhuvan Gajar is a highly nutritious carrot variety developed through the selection method with higher β-carotene content  and iron content. Among all the varieties tested, beta-carotene and iron content were found to be superior.