Kangra women hortipreneurs honoured for agri excellence

Three women from Kangra district have become role models for youngsters who shy away from agriculture and horticulture in pursuit of white-collar jobs. With determination and support from the Department of Horticulture, they have successfully established independent farms and are now providing employment to many. Recognizing their efforts, the Chief Minister honored them on International Women’s Day for their dedication to the field for over a decade.

Meera Devi from Madhar village specialises in protected cultivation of flowers like carnation and chrysanthemum. With an annual turnover of Rs 39.06 lakh, she employs seven persons.

Bharti Masand from Dhoran has excelled in vertical farming of strawberries and protected cultivation of hybrid vegetables. Her hard work has resulted in an annual turnover of Rs 27 lakh, and she has provided jobs to ten people.

Sonu Rana from Khalet, Palampur, runs a fruit processing unit, generating employment for seven workers. She received 33% assistance from the government under HPHDP to establish her business.

Deputy Director of Horticulture, Kamalsheel Negi, praised these hortipreneurs for leveraging government schemes and demonstrating the potential of horticulture. He emphasized that in Himachal Pradesh, where landholdings are small and scattered, horticulture can yield 10 to 15 times more income than traditional farming. These women have proven that with perseverance, innovation, and government support, agriculture can be a profitable and empowering profession.