Ravi Thakur, MLA, Lahaul & Spiti alongwith a team of scientists from Agriculture University Palampur, who are on tour to Postdam, Germany, to attend seven day International Conference on Seabuckthorn said that efforts would be made to develop Seabuckthorn in all tribal areas of Himalayan states and a Seabuckthorn Research Centre would be established in the State.

Thakur said that he will approach Ministries of Environment, Forest and tribal development will be approached for funding of various programmes on Seabuckthorn development. He said that Seabuckthorn locally known as “Drilbu” in Himachal is the best variety found in the world. He said that Seabuckthorn is very rich in vitamin C and efforts would also be made to introduce oil rich Russian varieties in Himalayan states as they have been found very useful on better lands, as they are being used in treatment of various diseases like heart problem etc.

Ravi Thakur also addressed the participants and invited them to attend the next International Conference on Seabuckthorn in India in 2015.

Prof. Virendara Singh of CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur presented his work on genetic diversity of Seabuckthorn grown in Himachal Pradesh. He has found some highly productive genotypes of Seabuckthorn.