The Hindu : Karnataka News : Thrust on area expansion under horticulture

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Wednesday, Oct 17, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Thrust on area expansion under horticulture

Nagesh Prabhu

BANGALORE: The post-harvest management and expansion of area under horticultural crops have received a major thrust in the National Horticulture Mission in the State in 2007-08. A couple of days ago, the Union Government allocated Rs. 152 crore to the State to undertake various activities under the mission in this fiscal. The Union Government, however, has not yet released the amount.

The Union Government, which launched the mission in 2005-06, released Rs. 44 crore to the State in that year and Rs. 89 crore in 2006-07. The mission activities have now spread to 23 districts. The State has urged the Union Government to expand the mission programmes to all 29 districts.

Officials of the Directorate of Horticulture told The Hindu on Tuesday that the thrust would be on the development of major crops such as mango, pomegranate, grapes, banana, pineapple, ginger, pepper, cashew, cocoa and flowers. The mission has proposed to develop 38,602 hectares of land under these crops by spending Rs. 42.94 crore in 2007-08. A sum of Rs. 5.26 crore had been spent to develop 5,082 hectares of land this year. Area expansion suffered in the past on account of shortage of staff in the department and lack of funds.

Horticulture accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the income in the agriculture sector in the State. The value of horticultural produce amounts to Rs. 8,400 crore a year. Horticultural crops are cultivated on 16 lakh hectares of land, which is increasing by five per cent annually. The annual production is 96 lakh tonnes, with an increase of six per cent a year.

Now, about three lakh hectares of land each are under fruits and vegetable crops, 2.9 lakh hectares of land under spice crops, seven lakh hectares of land under garden, plantation crops and flowers and a few thousands hectares of land are under medicinal and aromatic plants.

Under the mission, farmers, organisations, societies, entrepreneurs and cooperatives could avail themselves of 25 per cent of subsidies to set up cold storages and packing units. Subsidy would be granted to cold storages with a maximum capacity of 10,000 tonnes. Four private entrepreneurs have submitted proposals to set up cold storages.

The officials said that 25 per cent of the subsidy would be available for creation of drying, grading, processing, packing and storage infrastructure unit.

Under the mission, subsidy would be granted to entrepreneurs to establish markets for horticultural produce. The funds have been made available under the mission following an amendment to the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act. The Act facilitated more investment by private players in the agri-market. As the average wastage in the horticultural sector, between the farm gate and the wholesale sector, is about 15 per cent, funds would be given to upgrade marketing chains and develop infrastructure, the officials said.

The State, which ranks third in the country in area under horticulture, has submitted proposal to the Union Government to establish terminal markets for fruits and vegetables in Belgaum, Hassan, Mysore and Kolar districts. All markets will be established as private-public partnerships, each with an estimated investment of Rs. 100 crore.

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