HORTICULTURE IN HOSHIARPUR

The Department of Horticulture Punjab mainly deals with the

cultivation, processing and marketing of fruits, vegetables, flowers and

mushrooms. The Department also produces quality nursery plants of

fruits, quality seeds of different crops etc. and gives these to the farmers at

nominal prices.

Out of 206757 hectares total cultivated area of Hoshiarpur district,

about 9072.25 hectares area is under fruit crops and 27607 hectares under

vegetable crops. Major fruit crops are Kinnow, Mango, Guava, Peach,

Litchi etc. and among the vegetables Potato has the major share followed

by Peas, Carrot, Cauliflower etc.

In Punjab area under fruits & vegetables is around 3.7% and in

comparison this figure in Distt . Hoshiarpur is about 11%.

Department has 3 Govt. Gardens and Nurseries at Bhunga

(Traditional) and Chhauni Kalan, Khiala Bulanda modern nurseries

which produce true to type, healthy and disease free fruit plants. However

these nurseries can cater only 8% of the total demand and rest is to be met

from licensed nurseries run on traditional lines and there is a need to

replicate these modern nurseries.Govt. Potato Seed Farm Khanaura

produces quality seeds of Potato, Peas, Radish etc. Department also has

one Fruit Preservation Laboratory and Mushroom Spawn Production

Laboratory at Chhauni Kalan.

Due to higher and regular yield, Kinnow emerged steadily as major

fruit crop of this area and due to its higher juice percentage, bright golden

yellow colour, longer shelf life and market span and lately found anti-

cancerous properties of Limonin present in Kinnow, it is gaining

popularity in distant domestic markets.

Productivity levels of Kinnow can be doubled from present 15MT/

Hectare, if proper and timely technical Know-how be provided to growers

by strengthening the extension network of Department of Horticulture

Punjab.

Under technical guidance of the Department of Horticulture, fruit growers

are getting good returns from their orchards as follows:

Well maintained 3-4 years old Kinnow orchard fetches Rs. 40-

80,000/acre.

Full grown Kinnow orchards i.e. 8-10 years old, fetches Rs. 80,000-

1, 50,000/acre.

Peach fetches upto Rs. 40-80,000/acre.

Litchi fetches upto Rs. 75,000/acre.

Thrust Points For Development Of Horticulture:

1. Improving productivity and quality of Horticultural crops.

2. Transfer of improved technology and its adoption.

3. Improving supply of quality planting material.

4. Developing infrastructure for post harvest handling and processing.

5. Expansion of area under Horticulture crops..

6. Promoting domestic and export marketing of Horticultural crops.

To achieve these goals Punjab Govt.has established two Citrus

Estates at Chhauni Kalan and Bhunga in this district and facilities such as

leaf and soil testing laboratory, latest spraying and pruning equipments

etc.are being provided to the farmers which help in reducing the cost of

production .

A Centre of Excellence for fruits (Citrus) is being establishment at

Khanaura with the assistance of National Horticulture Mission under

Indo-Israel project. In this centre latest table purpose and processing

varieties of Citrus will be evaluated on different root-stocks and

recommendations will be made accordingly.

Other fruits such as mango, guava etc. will also be planted and

evaluated in this Centre.

After evaluation quality nursery plants of these fruits will be made

available to the farmers.

This district is covered under Mission for integrated Development

of Horticulture (MIDH) and farmers are provided subsidies/Assistance

under various components covered under MIDH.