In order to double the farmers’ income in the State, the farmers are being encouraged to take other horticulture crops beside traditional crops like wheat and soybean.

It may be mentioned that the area of fruits bearing trees was 47 thousand 856 hectare in the year 2007.

This area climbed up to 1.34 lakh hectare during the year 2017-2018. Similarly, the drip irrigation area was 500 hectare, which has grown to 21,456 hectare now. In the same manner, increase has been registered in the area irrigated by the sprinkler system, this system was used to irrigate 60 hectare area in the past. The area under the sprinkler irrigation system has grown to 97,135 hectare in the year 2017.

Besides, the increase has been made in the cold storage capacity. The cold storage capacity was 2 lakh metric tonne in the year 2007, which has grown to about 9.50 lakh metric tonne in the year 2017. It is to be highlighted that onion storage capacity in the state was almost zero a decade ago, the onion storage capacity has become 5 lakh metric tonne in the year 2017.

A total 1,528 warehouses have been constructed in the state to store onion. Technical know-how and training is also being given to the farmers to take horticulture crops. Poly house technology on 600 hectare area, shade-net house on 150 hectare and plastic mulching technology on 5 lakh hectare area are being used by the farmers now in the state.

Horticulture crops have important contributions in nutrients elements in food, doubling the farmers’ income and earning foreign currency besides improvement in environment.

Total 307 nurseries have been operated by the Horticulture department in 51 districts. These nurseries are also being used to impart training to the farmers. The department has prepared a plan to modernize these nurseries. A total of 100 nurseries will be upgraded with modern technology in the year 2018.