6.34% area of the total cropped area in Haryana under horticulture crops

AHMEDABAD: Area under horticulture crops in Haryana has reached about 6.34 per cent of the total cropped area in the state as a result of the steps taken by the State Government to motivate the farmers to grow horticulture crops in place of traditional ones.

A spokesman of Haryana Horticulture Department said that the efforts of the state government to encourage the farmers for diversification of crops had shown encouraging results. During the year 2010-11, the area under vegetable cultivation touched over 3.43 lakh hectares and its production crossed the mark of 40 lakh metric tonnes.

Apart from this, farmers were also taking keen interest in replacing their traditional crops with other commercial horticulture crops like fruits, flowers and spices.He said that during the current financial year up to June 2011, fruit production of 47,360 metric tonnes was achieved by bringing 30 hectares of additional area under fruit cultivation and total area had increased to 45,220 hectares.

Over 10 lakh metric tonnes of vegetables were produced by bringing 28,765 hectares of area under vegetable cultivation. He said that 55,255 metric tonnes of spices were produced through cultivation over an area of 2630 hectares. Medicinal plants and flowers were grown over an area of 350 hectares and 315 hectares respectively during the same period, he added.