International experts show interest in importing fruits, cut flowers from Bilaspur

The Himachal Pradesh Sub-tropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition Project (HP SHIVA) has drawn international attention of a high-profile business delegation from Dubai comprising Abdulla Al Ali and Sagheer Khan, who visited the state and held a high-level meeting with Project Director Dr Devender Singh Thakur, in Bilaspur today. An HP SHIVA Project Management Unit (PMU) team of the Directorate of Horticulture was also present at the meeting.

Dr Thakur said the meeting focused on exploring export opportunities for fruits, including sweet oranges, pomegranates and cut flowers, including roses and carnations, produced under the HP SHIVA Project to Middle East markets, especially Dubai.

He said a detailed overview of the project’s progress and achievements was given to the international guests. He said scientifically developed horticulture clusters had been established across seven districts in the state, including Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Una, Solan, and Sirmaur. These clusters cultivate high-yield and export-oriented varieties that meet all international standards of colour, size, sweetness and shelf life, he said.

Dr Thakur said farmers were trained in good agricultural practices (GAP), precision irrigation, fertigation and integrated pest and nutrient management. He said, “There is a remarkable improvement in both the quality and consistency of production. The cluster-based model has enabled product traceability, quality consistency and volume aggregation that are key prerequisites for international buyers.”

During inspection of the Karot cluster in Bilaspur, the Dubai representatives appreciated the quality of the produce, describing it as being on par with international standards, and expressed strong interest in establishing long-term export partnerships with the HP SHIVA initiative.