With a view to rejuvenate orange crop in Kodagu, the Horticulture Department is distributing orange saplings worth Rs 20 lakh free of cost to the growers. A total of 200 people who had submitted applications last year itself will be benefited.
Horticulture Department Deputy Director H R Naika told Deccan Herald that 200 plantlets worth Rs 10,000 would be given to each hectare. Besides, neem oilcake, calcium and a few accelerators will be distributed.
Those who have already applied can collect their saplings. No new applications will be entertained, he clarified.
Mr Naika said insect attracting nets were being distributed to the orange growers in orer to eliminate insects through biocontrol measures, as flies were haunting the croop considrarably in the recent days.
Nets worth Rs 2,000 per hectare are being given to the growers with 50 per cent subsidy. The department officials can be contacted in this regard, he said.
Bordo mix can be applied to pepper, ginger, cardamom and areca crops where ‘kole roga’ has widely spread in areas receiving heavy rains.
 Copper Sulphate will be supplied with 50 per cent subsidy. The beneficiaries will be selected through Gram Panchayats. Those who enrolled their names in GPs will benefit the scheme, Mr Naika informed.
Pepper veins will also be distributed to the farmers, that is, 2,000 veins per 0.5 hectare. This scheme is also implemented by the GPs. Financial assistance will also be provided to encourage Anthurium crop. A sum of Rs 35,000 per 500 sq mtr area will be given to small and micro farmers, if they grow good quality Anthurium on their own. While, a maximum of Rs 70,000 will be given to those who grow them in 1,000 sq mts. Rs 70,000 financial aid will be given to those who spend Rs 1.40 lakh on their crop, he explained.
Hibreed cashew and cocoa saplings are freely distributed to the farmers of Sampaje, Peraje, Chembu, Karike Gram Panchayat limits in Madikeri taluk. Interested farmers of Virajpet and Somwarpet taluks may also get the plantlets.
They should contact their Gram Panchayats, the Deputy Director informed.
About 25 per cent subsidy will be given to install cold storage, refrigerator, vans under horticulture marketing facility. A tender has been called for in this regard on July 16 itself and the interested firms can submit their proposals, he noted.