Haryana to bring more land under horticulture crops

Haryana government today said it has targeted to bring at least one-fourth of the total 36 lakh hectares of cultivable land under horticultural crops within the next 10 years.
This is aimed to increase income of farmers by making them break out of the wheat-paddy cycle.
Stating this here today, Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar, said this had been done in deference to the demands of the people of Delhi and of the National Capital Region (NCR).
A meeting in this regard would be held with the Union Agriculture Minister, Radha Mohan Singh, on May 11.
The Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar would also be present at the meeting which would be attended by senior officers of Agriculture, Cooperation, Animal Husbandry and Horticulture Departments and the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board.

He said peri-urban agriculture, to be promoted on the pattern of Beijing in China, would help in meeting the demand for milk and milk products, vegetables, fruits, flowers and poultry products in the NCR.

Other food products could be brought in from other states but it would be inconvenient and expensive to bring daily necessities from other states, he said.
Dhankar said since peri-urban agriculture involved higher capital investment as compared to the traditional agriculture, the state would seek financial assistance from National Capital Region Planning Board and the Union Ministry of Agriculture.
It necessitates setting up of a planned system of poly houses, steady market, crop management and distribution system.

E-Mandi would also be linked to peri-urban agriculture, he said.
Presently, only 4.9 lakh hectares of total cultivable land in Haryana is covered under horticultural crops.
Target has been set to double the land under horticulture in the next 10 years.
All departments have been asked to set yearly targets and work out schemes. Micro and drip irrigation system would be promoted, he added.
The Agriculture Department aims at increasing its reach in the Delhi and NCR markets through peri-urban agriculture.
Presently, Delhi depends on West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra for fruits and vegetables and Andhra Pradesh for poultry products.

Special emphasis is being laid on the production of mushroom in Sonepat district. A Special Purpose Vehicle has been set up for international fruit and vegetable market being set up in Ganaur for which a detailed project report is being prepared, he added.