The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Horticulture Department plan turns fallow lands into cultivable ones

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Tamil Nadu

Horticulture Department plan turns fallow lands into cultivable ones

Karthik Madhavan

Measures initiated in Erode district under National Horticulture Mission

PHOTO: M.GOVARTHAN

For bountiful harvests: To increase crop productivity in Erode, the Horticulture Department has embarked upon a new project under the National Horticulture Mission. —

CHENNIMALAI: Farmer G. Chandravathani’s five acres for long remained fallow.

She had not put the land to any use in the last 10 years for two reasons one, lack of adequate water and, two, unsuitable soil condition, says a friend of hers.

But now the land has turned cultivable, thanks to the efforts initiated by the Horticulture Department under the National Horticulture Mission.

The Department has provided inputs and money to bring it under gooseberry, says Assistant Director of Horticulture, Chennimalai, RM. Subramaniam.

Gooseberry

“Under the National Horticulture Mission the Department has given gooseberry seeds and subsidy to turn the land cultivable.”

The Department has given grafted saplings of the high yielding NA7 variety along with ‘Krishna’, ‘Chakya’ and ‘Kanchan’ varieties.

“Since gooseberries cross pollinate, it is advisable to plant more than one variety,” the officer explains.

Though the Department gives about four varieties, the NA7 occupies the maximum area.

At Ms. Chandravathani’s, the hybrid variety occupies about 80 per cent of the area.

On the subsidy front, the Department gives Rs. 11,250 in the first year, Rs. 4,500 in the second and Rs. 6,750 in the third.

Mr. Subramaniam says the subsidy is given not as money but organic manures, bio-fertilisers and chemicals.

Only the remaining money, if any, is given in cash.

He adds that the Department has planned to given implements for the remaining cash.

That apart, the farmers also get a subsidy for installing drip irrigation. “That is under a separate scheme,” he explains. In the current financial year the Department has brought 15 hectares under gooseberry cultivation.

The Department has also brought 10 hectares under mango cultivation.

“Under the Horticulture Mission, the Department has asked use to help farmers cultivate mango and gooseberry,” the officer says.

As far as gooseberry is concerned, the yield begins in the third year and reaches a maximum starting from the seventh year.

Mr. Subramaniam says farmers will get about 14 tonnes a hectare a year. And, the fruit has a good market.

It is used in preparing jam, syrup and medicine.

The current price of a kg of gooseberry is around Rs. 40 a kg.

Deputy Director of Horticulture, Erode, K. Mohan says as part the project the Department also brings cultivable lands under gooseberry and mango.

In the current year the Department has a target of 250 ha for gooseberry and 200 ha for mango.

In the past two years the Department has brought around 700 ha under gooseberry and 430 under mango.

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