Punjab Disburses Rs1.22cr For Improving Horticulture

Punjab, the largest producer of wheat and rice in the country, is now trying to diversify its crop patterns with a view to achieve the goal of sustainable development in agriculture. The state is now focusing on the development of horticulture - both fruits and vegetables.

According to agriculture minister Gurdev Singh Badal, the state has fixed a target of bringing an additional 2500 hectares under orchards during the current financial year. So far, around 1200 hectares have already been brought under the cultivation of different fruits, the minister added.

The state government is particularly keen to promote the cultivation of grapes all over the state, particularly in the southern belt. Senior officials of the horticulture department are hopeful that during the current winter session, an additional area of over 200 hectares will be brought under grape cultivation in the state.

 

Besides grapes, Punjab is, at present, growing different kinds of fruits including chiku, banana, mango, and citrus fruits like oranges.

With a view to promote horticulture, the government has fixed a target of disbursing institutional loans of Rs 1.50 crore to the farmers during the current financial year.

Loans amounting to Rs 1.22 crore have already been disbursed, Badal said.

In order to encourage farmers to shift to fruits and vegetables from the wheat-paddy rotation, the government is also giving 50 per cent subsidy on the purchase of inputs like spray pumps, barbed wire and garden tools. A sum of Rs 40 lakh has been earmarked for this purpose by the government for the current financial year.

At present, the total area under fruit cultivation in Punjab is about 88,000 hectares. The total area under vegetables in the state is around 1.12 lakh hectares. The state grows about 8 lakh tonne of fruits and about 17 lakh tonne of vegetables every year.

Among vegetables, potato is the main crop in the state, and the output exceeds the domestic requirement. Of late, the horticulture department has been focusing on growing quality potato seeds.

At present, there are ten seed potato farms in the state, supplying the improved varieties of seeds to the growers.

The state government has fixed a target of producing 30,000 quintal of the improved varieties of potato during the current winter season.

During the on-going winter session, the government has planned to bring 2,000 hectares of additional area under different vegetables. In order to encourage the farmers to shift to the cultivation of vegetables, the horticulture department is also distributing mini kits of quality vegetables seeds to the farmers at a nominal price.