Six lakh grafted plants, rootstocks up for grabs

The Department of Horticulture is offering around six lakh grafted plants and rootstocks of apple, stone fruits, pears and persimmon to the fruit growers this season. The department has already received demand for three lakh plants and rootstocks and the distribution will start from the first week of December. Last year, the department had sold 4.30 lakh planting material to the fruit growers.

Season of new roots

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• Fruit growers are set for a major boost as the Horticulture Department rolls out six lakh grafted plants and rootstocks of apple, stone fruits, pears and persimmon this season. With demand already touching three lakh, distribution begins in the first week of December.
• The bulk is apple, featuring 46 premium imported varieties from Gala and Fuji to Delicious and Spur, multiplied under the World Bank-funded horticulture project. Around 30,000 stone fruit plants are also on offer
• Rates remain unchanged since the 2023 disaster. The authorities are tightening vigil to curb smuggling of illegal planting material

As usual, the bulk of planting material that the department is offering is of apple. “Around 2.70 grafted plants and 2.30 lakh rootstock of apple would be made available to the growers,” an official said.

The official said the department would offer around 46 imported apple varieties to the growers. “We have the best and the latest varieties being cultivated all over the world. We’ve cultivars of Gala series, Fuji series, Delicious, Spur and Pollinisers,” the official said. The department imported different cultivars and rootstocks under the World Bank funded HP Horticulture Development Project in the last seven-eight years. The department has multiplied the imported planting material at its different Progeny cum Demonstration Orchards, and is now offering to the growers.

Besides, the department is offering around 30,000 grafted plants of stone fruits. The stone fruits rootstocks are available in small number. “We are still in the process of multiplying stone fruit cultivars and rootstocks. In the next few years, we will have both cultivars and rootstocks of stone fruits in abundance,” the official said.

The official further said the department had kept the rates quite reasonable, much lower than the rates at which private nurseries were offering the material. “The rates have not been increased since the disaster struck the state in 2023 as many people lost their land and orchards,” he said.

Apart from the Horticulture Department, University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, and private nurseries also offer the planting material to the growers.

Meanwhile, the smuggling of illegal planting material into the state is also quite rampant. “We have requested the DCs and excise officials to keep a check on all entry points for any illegal planting material,” said Satish Sharma, Additional Director, Horticulture. “Besides, our own teams keep inspecting the planting material in the state. If any illegal material is found, prompt action will be taken,” said Sharma.