Big boost to horticulture sector: Collector

Anantapur: Horticulture is growing in leaps and bounds in the district since 2015-16 and registered a steep rise in new horticulture plantations and expansion of acreage owing to the favourable conditions for its expansion.To give a big boost to horticulture farmers for marketing of their produce, the department of horticulture under the guidance of district collector Veera Pandian is now preparing action plans to support horticulture farmers by establishing cold storages, integrated pack houses, pre-cooling units, Refer vans, Ripening chambers, cashew processing centres and low cost onion storage structure as part of master plan worth Rs.5 crore to upgrade horticulture cultivation and set up processing centres. The action plan will be implemented in the current financial year.lights:

Highlights:

• A master plan worth Rs.5 crore to upgrade horticulture cultivation and set up processing centres is ready and would be implemented in fiscal 2017
• The proposals for 2017-18 financial year include 1,06,862 hectares of horticulture plantations and investments worth Rs.2,748.93 lakh in the district under State Horticulture Mission

Under the 'Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture' (MIDH) and the 'Rastriya Krishi Vikasa Yojana' (RKVY) and the State Horticulture Plan, (SHP) all put together the target for 2016-17 fiscal was 3,52,195 hectares but in terms of actual achievement it was 3,33,908 hectares. Similarly in terms of financial targets it was Rs.6094 lakh but the targets achieved was Rs,3,931 lakh with the targeted beneficiaries being 16,054 in the same year.

Under the MIDH scheme more than 1.11 lakh hectares were expanded and investments to the tune of 2954 lakh were targeted. The achievements included 1.74 lakh hectares expansion and benefitting 16,054 farmers.Under the RKVY scheme the targets were expansion of plantations in 31,799 hectares involving an investment of Rs.697 lakh while the actual achievement was 26,624 hectares and 260 lakh investment benefiting 1926 farmers. Under the state plan the achievement was area expansion by nearly 1.34 lakh hectares involving an investment of Rs.1646 lakh benefiting 7,556 farmers. The plantations include Mango, Sweet Oranges, Acid lime, Guava, Pomegranate, TC Bananas, Papaya, Cashew and Hybrid Vegetables Production Programme.

Talking to "The Hans India' Horticulture Technical Officer G.Chandrasekhar revealed that 75 percent subsidy on Mango, Guava, Sweet Oranges, Acid Lime and Pomegranate are being extended under the new area expansion. Under the Hybrid Vegetables Production 40 percent subsidy per hectare is being extended. Financial assistance for the maintenance of orchards for three years are also being extended. Community farm ponds and individual farm ponds and poly houses and shade net nurseries under protected cultivation is also extended by the department. For high value flower production including for Roses and Gerbera flowers, for a unit cost of Rs.8 lakhs and Rs.12 lakhs per acre respectively 50 percent subsidy is being extended, he added.

The proposals for 2017-18 financial year include 1,06,862 hectares of horticulture plantations and investments worth Rs.2,748.93 in the district under State Horticulture Mission. Proposals under Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana include 38,150 hectares of horticulture plantations with an estimated budget worth Rs.1,485 lakh. Similarly under state plan the proposals for 2017-18 include 2,59,056 hectares and estimated investment worth Rs.6,076 lakh.