Centre to help Himachal replant apple orchards

The Union agriculture ministry has agreed to enhance central assistance from Rs 23,000 per hectare to Rs 56,000 per hectare for planting improved apple tree varieties in the old orchards of Himachal Pradesh.

This was stated by the state’s horticulture minister Narender Bragta after he met the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in New Delhi on Thursday.

“The Centre has also agreed to provide 100 per cent central assistance for horticulture equipment to be used for replanting new apple orchards after destroying old trees,” said Bragta.

“The state has formulated an ambitious plan of Rs 148 crore to replace old apple orchards with the latest high yielding, disease-resistant and improved varieties over the next three years in 1,000 hectares of orchard area,” he said.

“Under the plan, 5.8 million apple plants will be supplied to farmers from registered nurseries and tissue culture labs in both the public and the private sector,” the minister said.

The state government owns 30 nurseries, four tissue culture labs.There are over 400 registered nurseries in the private sector.

Bragta said the state government has a target to produce 80,000 tonnes of apply every year and to increase the productivity by 400 per cent under the rejuvenated 1000 hectares by planting the latest high yielding disease-resistant apple varieties.

The state has requested the Centre to remove the cap fixed on controlled atmosphere facilities to strengthen the cold chain infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh.

The state requires 100,000 tonnes of controlled atmosphere stores to save 25 per cent damage to fruit after harvest.