The Centre has approved two model floriculture projects under horticulture mission for Haryana. The projects will cost Rs 1.4 crore of which one will be established in Panchkula district and the other in Karnal district.
State cooperation and agriculture minister Paramvir Singh said cost of each project was Rs 70 lakh, out of which 85% cost would be borne by the Centre and 15% by the state government. Apart from having export potential, horticulture products also have demand in the domestic market. Per unit income from cut flowers was much higher than many other crops, he added.
The minister said floriculture was a better alternative in the scenario of decreasing land holding day by day. Some varieties of flowers could be grown in the open field, whereas others required controlled atmosphere for higher production. Introduction of green house technologies have led to a new beginning in the growth of modern floriculture in India. Flowers like roses, carnation, gerbera, liliums, gladiolus and marigold were being grown and sold in domestic as well as international markets. In these approved projects, roses, carnation, gerbera and liliums crops will be grown under poly green house and shade net house whereas gladious and marigold crops would be grown in open fields.
The objectives of the projects is to demonstrate production practices to farmers under protected cultivation, impart technical training for aspiring entrepreneurs in the field of cut flowers production and marketing, improve the economic status of the farmers and enhance the production of cut flower likes gerbera, carnation, rose, lilium and gladiolus. Paramvir Singh said each project comprised of 3,500 sq metres for protected cultivation and 2 acre for open field cultivation.