K'taka Horticulture dept to promote fruit crops

Gulbarga, Apr 26 (UNI) The Karnataka Horticulture Department has selected 15 districts to develop 11 fruit crops, under the National Horticulture Mission Plan.

Informing this to newspersons here today, Department Director G K Vasanth Kumar said under the scheme, cultivation of fruits, flowers and spice crops would be promoted in select areas in the state.

He said the department would provide a subsidy of Rs 10,000 per hectare to farmers who cultivate medical and organic plants, under the Mission Plan.

Mr Kumar explained that under the seven-year Mission Plan, the Centre had sanctioned Rs 85.88 crore to the state, of which Rs 44 crore had already been released.

He informed that Kolar and Mangalore stood first in horticulture, registering 55 per cent cultivation, while Gulbarga and Bidar performed poorly recording just 2.8 and 1.2 per cent respectively.

Mr Kumar disclosed that the Department had set up seven centres at Kushtagi and Koppal near Bangalore to impart training to farmers in pomegranate cultivation. This had helped the farmers export 700 tonnes, earning Rs 43,000 per tonne.

Stating that the state had achieved tremendous growth in horticulture export, he said it had exported coffee worth Rs 800 crore and cashewnuts worth Rs 540 crore last year. However, it could export only mangoes worth Rs ten crore.

He informed that 415 horticulture nurseries would be developed in Belgaum to promote flower cutivation as it was an ideal place for it.

UNI DP RG RP HS1847