Haryana Government has decided to launch a crop cluster development programme on the occasion of State’s golden jubilee year.
So far, 125 special clusters have been identified in which integrated programmes of horticulture would be introduced from next year so that the farmers could be linked with market by adopting group farming, said Haryana Minister of State for Agriculture, Bikram Singh Yadav, who was presiding over a meeting to review the progress of works being carried out under the National Horticulture Mission.
He directed the officers that Centres of Excellence for Horticulture should be opened in all districts of the state in which new techniques of horticulture would be demonstrated. He also directed to encourage farmers to take up organic farming.
During the meeting, Director, National Horticulture Mission, Dr BS Sehrawat said that there is a Rs 119.20 crore scheme to promote horticulture in the current financial year. Out of it, Rs 69 crore have so far been released by the State Government.
He said that organic farming of vegetables was being carried out over an area of 1,000 hectares in the State this year.
Director General, Horticulture, Dr Arjun Singh said that special
horticulture awareness camps were organised at 275 places in 2015-16. He said that two Centres of Excellence were being established in the state and consultancy services were being provided to Telangana and Mizoram for establishing such centres.