Sabour (Bhagalpur), March 17: The state is set to add strawberries to its list of farm produce.

Encouraged by the good yield of the first strawberry crop this year, the Bihar Agriculture University (BAU), Sabour, today organised an interactive session between agriculture experts and farmers and observed the day as “strawberry day”. Farmers in large numbers took part in the event.

The university has developed a 10-acre farm for cultivating strawberries, said sources.

The reason of observing strawberry day was to popularise the fruit in the local farming community, the source added.

Rajesh Kumar, the public relations officer of BAU, told The Telegraph: “With the festival of colours round the corner, we decided to observe this day as strawberry is a very colourful fruit.”

U.S. Jaiswal, the head of horticulture department of BAU, said: “Our scientists have broken the myth that strawberry can only be grown in hilly regions having low temperature.”

The chief guest at the event, A.P. Singh, the principal of Bhagalpur Agriculture College, said: “Farmers must take up strawberry farming on a large scale. They have the opportunity to reap the benefits of strawberry cultivation.”

Rubi Rani, in-charge of the strawberry project, said: “Climatic conditions prevailing between October and February are very much favourable for strawberry cultivation.”