ACTIVITIES

Activities

A resume of the activities relating to the development of horticulture being taken care of by the State Department of Horticulture, with a view to improve socio-economic status of the farming community, is given below:

(i)AREA EXPANSION:-
Every year around 6000-7000 hectare area is being brought under fruit plantation all over the State for which 15 to 20 lakhs fruit plants of different species are distributed amongst the farmers. This also includes replantation of old orchards.

(ii)PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY OF ELITE PLANTING MATERIAL:-

The production and supply of the planting material of different fruits is arranged through 98 Progeny-cum-Demonstration Orchards and Nurseries and about 662 private Nurseries. The State is self sufficient in the production and supply of the most of the temperate fruit plants but is deficient in planting material of mango, citrus and other sub-tropical fruits, walnuts, pecan, kiwi fruit, cherry, spur types of apples etc. Various programs have been initiated for increasing the production of plant material of these fruits. Two Plant Tissue Culture Laboratories, one each in the public and private sector, have been established for the rapid propagation of planting material. Clonal rootstocks of temperate fruits like apple, pear, cherry etc, are also being multiplied and made available to the growers from the PCDOs.

(iii) INTRODUCTION OF IMPROVED PLANT MATERIAL:-

The Department of Horticulture, Himachal Pradesh has been making efforts from the seventh Five-year Plan for the introduction of the improved varieties of fruits from the advanced countries as well as the other States of India. The following cultivars of different fruits have been introduced:-