Kapurthala district initiates for floriculture

Kapurthala, July 4, 2014: Taking an initiative, the district Kapurthala Horticulture department had successfully promoted floriculture on commercial level by bringing 14.35 acres of land under its cultivation during year 2013-14.
Disclosing this here today, Daljit Singh Mangat, Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala said that now the department has taken another initiative to promote the cultivation of highly nutritious Dhingri and mushroom. Three villages each have been adopted in each block of the district and 1650 seeds of dhingri have been provided for its cultivation primarily for domestic use and then exploring the possibility of its commercial cultivation to ensure remunerative returns to the interested farmers. He said that three units for commercial cultivation of mushroom were also set up last year and these units have registered 517.6 metric ton production of mushrooms resulting in good returns to these units.
Besides this, the farmers were also motivated to plant 4742 fruit plants at their 1125 tube-wells or personal gardens and these plants include mango, nimbu(lemon), kinnows, ber, guava, jamun and papaya with twin purposes of producing fruits as well as improving atmosphere. He said that two government nurseries were providing fruit, ornamental as well as flower plants at reasonable rates.
The Deputy Commissioner further said that the district horticulture department has imparted training for preparing jam, chatni, squash, pickles and murabba to 510 beneficiaries which include women, school students and members of youth club at its community processing centre and prepared 505 kgs such material. Besides this, Rs. 20400 subsidy has been provide for cultivation of flowers at 1.7 hectare area and Rs. 26,400 subsidy for loose flowers.