Three new prominent programmes have been included in the National Horticulture Mission 2007-08 jurisdiction. While these programmes have been approved by the government, it is awaiting only release of funds.
Department of Horticulture Deputy Director H R Nayak on Thursday speaking Deccan Herald said that this programme earmarks a sum of Rs 5.6 lakh to motivate bee-keeping and Rs 20 lakh to start a samplings health centre at Ponnampete Forest College. A weather forecasting unit will also be set up in the same college at a cost of Rs 4 lakh.
He said that about 700 units in the district will be provided a bee keeping box eachcosting Rs 1,600. Those interested to take benefits of this programme need to pay a sum of Rs 800 while the remaining Rs 800 will be provided as subsidy.
Mr Nayak said that a sampling health centre will be started at Ponnampete Forest College to find out diseases and the cases of malnutrition among horticulture plants and other saplings and to inform the growers about the ways of controlling these diseases.
Since several diseases are caused with the unfavourable weather, a weather forecast unit will also be set up to facilitate the growers.
He said that a sum of Rs 230 lakh has been utilised of the total fund of Rs 461 lakh that was released for the district under National Horticulture Mission 2006-07.
He informed that to boost pepper cultivation in the region, every pepper grower is being provided with pepper veins worth Rs 2000 per half acre along with fertilisers and tricoderma. About 75 per cent of this project costing about Rs 95 lakhs has been completed. Such packages are also being provided to encourage orange and plantain growth.
Horticulturists are also being provided with copper sulphate of Rs 2000 per hectare at 50 per cent subsidy.
Apart from this Mr Nayak said that distribution of herbal plants has been completed along with distribution of cocoa and cashew saplings.
Two beneficiaries received a sum of Rs 2.15 lakh each as subsidy for construction of Poly house for Anthurium cultivation.
