KURNOOL: The Horticulture Department proposes to promote fruit crops in 16,000 acres under various schemes in Kurnool district. Talking to reporters here on Monday, Assistant Director of Horticulture A. Muralimohan Reddy said under the National Horticulture Mission mango gardens would be raised on 1,250 acres. Similarly, sweet orange will be grown on 1,500 acres and sapota on 500 acres.

Mr. Reddy said that in addition to the national scheme, a district-level project -- mega horticulture programme -- was being launched to promote horticulture crops under irrigated conditions. An extent of 3,000 acres would be covered under mega horticulture programme and 5,000 acres under watershed programme.

Mr. Reddy said next year medicinal and aromatic plants would be promoted in a big way while the current year would be devoted to development of mango, sweet orange and sapota. Mango had already came up on 25,000 acres so far in the district.

He said amla and coleus had ready market under the medicinal plants category and lemon grass and palmarosa were successfully cultivated and marketed in the district.

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