Many schemes being launched to increase production
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 26: In a major initiative of J&K UT Government, the horticulture is being given a big impetus for the first time in Jammu region.
Unlike the past the boosting of horticulture production in Jammu will be now the major priority for both Government of J&K as well as Central Government which for the first time has initiated many welfare schemes for its development in this region of the UT on a big scale.
According to highly placed sources, Jammu has about 1.50 lakh hectares of land which has the scope and potential for horticulture and the UT Government with the support of Central Government is chalking out a strategy to exploit this entire land for the horticulture produce. In this regard many attractive schemes on scientific basis are being launched for benefit of the farming community living in different zones of the region, sources added.
Sources said, the Horticulture Department has been asked to give thrust to this sector and motivate more and more farmers towards orchards and growing of different varieties of fruit in the region. In this regard the Government for the first time is going to introduce ultra high density plantation of apple trees in Jammu region under which from 2223 to 3333 apple trees of high density can be planted in one hectare of land which can give produce after a three years, sources added.
In this connection the Government has utilized the services of three private agencies which have been empanelled for the same, sources said, adding in Jammu division Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi and some areas of Udhampur and Kathua have a great potential of growing apple on the pattern of Himachal Pradesh as well as Kashmir and once this sector is provided an impetus by the Government it will change the fate of farming community in this belt.
Moreover, the Government will provide Rs 50,000 incentive per farmer for plantation of ultra high density fruit trees including apple, mango etc in one go for one hectare of land. Earlier it was Rs 30000 which was given in three installments, sources said.
In addition to it, the Government has given major thrust to cultivation of strawberry crop by increasing the incentive to Rs 13,000 per kanal of land for cultivators also. Earlier this incentive was Rs 3125 per kanal.
Sources said that Government has fixed a target of cultivation of strawberry on 700 kanals of land in 10 districts of Jammu region.
Sources said that the Government has established 50 nurseries of fruit in Jammu region and every nursery has been given target of grafting plants and focus in 2020 and 2021 has been kept for growing six lakh plants in these nurseries plus growing of minimum 10 lakh root stock.
Besides, the Jammu has a potential of growing high quality of walnut and the total production of walnut in the region is 80 thousand MT which too will be given boost by the Government as there is no comparison of the walnut of Doda and Chatru in Kishtwar districts, sources said.
Sources said while in Punjab 28 MTs of grapes are grown on 20 kanals of land in Jammu only 2.8 to three MTs of grapes are grown on the same area and this needs attention to increase the production at par with Punjab by growing good capacity plants and adopting scientific methods.
Director Horticulture Jammu, Ram Sevak while confirming this said that major thrust is being given to Horticulture Sector in this region for the first time and Government is making all efforts in this regard. He said the department is monitoring some nurseries run on pilot basis and five nurseries functioning is directly being monitored by the department, he added.
He said major thrust is on plantation of ultra high density apple which gives fruit in third year of its plantation. Besides, there are many loan schemes for farmers and fruit growers under the newly introduced Atamnirbhar Scheme by Central Government.
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