Himachal Pradesh to create 82,500 jobs through horticulture initiatives

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has made leaps and bounds of progress in the horticulture sector, set to become the first state in the country to implement a solid horticulture policy. The state government’s horticulture scheme is set to create employment opportunities for about 82,500 people. Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi announced this during the 13th convocation ceremony of Nauni University.

The minister went on to say that the state government has assigned Rs 4 crore to the university for research and development in natural farming. The government has been planning to bring 6,000 hectares of land in 28 development blocks of Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur, Solan, and Una districts under horticulture by 2028 under the Rs 1,292 crore HP-Shiva Project. This initiative is likely to benefit more than 15,000 horticulture families.

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Himachal is known for vast production of fruits, providing full support to the horticulture farmers, helping them to raise their income in recent years with the adoption of the latest technologies in farming. The government has left no stone unturned in its efforts to support the welfare of farmers and horticulturists, said the minister.

The Himachal government has introduced the use of universal cartons for packaging apples, providing a friendly market for farmers. Besides this, apple procurement in mandis is now conducted on a per-kilogram basis. For the first time in the state’s history, the government has released Rs 153 crore under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to settle all dues of apple growers. The support price for apples has also been increased by Rs 1.50 per kilogram, taking it to Rs 12 per kilogram.

Himachal Pradesh’s initiatives aim to boost the livelihood of farmers and horticulturists while promoting sustainable and eco-friendly practices in agriculture.