Horticulture's share up in Haryana GSDP

Area under horticulture crops in the state has increased from 2.77 lakh hectares in 2005-06 to 4.30 lakh hectares during the fiscal 2011-12

Haryana has registered a substantial increase in area under horticulture. The area under horticulture crops in the state has increased from 2.77 lakh hectares in 2005-06 to 4.30 lakh hectares during the financial year 2011-12, and the State's share of horticulture in gross state domestic product (GSDP) was Rs 4,113 crore, which is 10.08 per cent of the crop husbandry.

While stating this here on Monday, a spokesman of the Haryana horticulture department said to encourage export of fruits, vegetables and flowers, private players were being invited. He said the state aimed to raise the production of horticulture crops from 54.41 lakh tonnes to 108.02 lakh tonnes, and to achieve this the Haryana government had launched various schemes and was giving subsidy at a rate of 75 per cent to set up new orchards.

He said that under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, hybrid vegetable seeds and seedlings were being provided to farmers with 50 per cent assistance, and for this, two new hi-tech greenhouse vegetable-seedling production units were being established at Rohtak and Gurgaon.

He said that undulating areas in the districts of Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and Mahendergarh, where agriculture was not possible, new orchards were being established by introduction of farm water ponds and micro-irrigation systems. For these activities, 75-100 per cent of financial assistance is being given to farmers. Due to irrigation facilities, farmers are also growing crops in the orchards.

The development of horticulture has increased not only farmers' income but also employment opportunities. He said two projects were established exclusively for fruits and vegetables in collaboration with Israel in Karnal and Sirsa districts. At these centres, the latest cultivation techniques were being demonstrated and transferred to farmers' fields.

He said that cultivation of mushroom was being done by small, marginal, unemployed and landless farmers. Haryana is No. 1 in production of the white button mushroom in India. For round-the-year cultivation, the summer-grown varieties of mushroom were also being encouraged. For conservation and efficient use of water, the horticulture department has facilitated the construction of 2,755 farm water ponds at the farmers fields with 100 per cent financial assistance. A target has been fixed to construct 4,000 ponds by the end of the current Five-Year Plan. Farmers were using these ponds by filing them with canal water with the help of a drip system, thus, saving 35-40 per cent water; productivity has also increased by 25-30 per cent.

He said that the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board is establishing world-class terminal markets at Gannaur and Sonepat for fruits and vegetables. The board is also setting up pack house, grading units and cold-chain facilities alongwith upgrading mandis, and the department is providing 25 per cent financial assistance under the National Horticulture Mission.

He said that with a view to promote medicinal plants, the Government is giving financial assistance at a rate of 20-75 per cent for primary processing units and plantation. To encourage processing of horticulture produce, the Government has nominated Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board to establish processing units. Infrastructure facilities are also being created for the marketing of fruits and vegetables.The Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board is providing freight subsidy on marketing of fruits and vegetables to other states.