Gujarat to spend Rs 144 cr under horticulture mission

Gujarat government has announced that it will spend Rs 144 crore for the development of horticulture agro-produce during 2007-08 under the Gujarat State Horticulture Mission (GSHM).

The state government plans to release fresh funds of Rs 75 crore during the present year and the rest will come from the unutilised funds provided for GSHM during 2006-07. The state government plans to boost the 12 important horticulture crops with these funds.

GSHM, a registered society, set up for implementation of National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in the state, will have Rs 144 crore funds to support various schemes for the development of the horticulture crops in the state. GSHM's main thrust will be done post-harvest, infrastructure and marketing aspect.

The government had provided Rs 87.96 crore for 2006-07. However, the state could spend only Rs 18.79 crore during the year (till February 2007) and remaining Rs 69.17 crore is yet to be spent.

The government claims that the funds for 2006-07 were not utilised because of unfavourable weather. Secondly, the government could not find enough beneficiaries and that the government had received the last installments of the central funding late and so it was not possible to spend the amount.

The state government plans to support and boost 12 horticulture crops in the identified 12 districts of the state. These 12 potential districts has good potential for boosting up the fruits crops like mango, chikoo, aonla, guava, dates, banana, papaya, lime, cumin, fennel and flowers, medicinal and aromatic crops.

According to state government sources, an additional five districts have been identified and proposed under the mission. Giving details of horticulture production last year, the agriculture department sources said that during 2006-07 fruits were cultivated on 3.15 lakh hectares and the production stood at 50.40 lakh MT, while in vegetables the area under cultivation was 3.66 lakh hectares and the production was 55.32 lakh MT. Spices were cultivated on 4.16 lakh hectares of land and 4.78 Lakh MT of production was achieved.

The government plans to increase the area under cultivation and production during 2007-08. The are under fruits will be 3.31 lakh hectares and the projected production is 56.74 lakh MT.

Area under cultivation for various spices is likely to be around 4.31 lakh hectares and production is likely to stand at 5.43 lakh MT. Vegetables acreage will be 3.83 Lakh hectares and the state is likely to produce 60.66 lakh MT of vegetables.

The government sources said that the government is laying extra stress on promoting Vadi Yojna where farmers will be persuaded to grow horticulture crops in small portions of their farms along with main crops.

Junagadh, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts are traditionally famous for its kesar mangoes while Valsad and southern belt has emerged as a major banana, chikoo and papaya growing regions.