State boosts horticulture with high-quality foreign fruit plants
Himachal Pradesh’s efforts to promote horticulture are yielding promising results, with Mandi district emerging as a hub for producing high-quality fruit plants, including foreign varieties. The Horticulture Department’s Nursery Management Society, under the Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project, has developed apple, apricot and plum plants now being cultivated in Mandi and distributed to other regions.
On December 5, a delegation from Leh-Ladakh University’s School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, including Assistant Professors Dr Kunz Angmo and Dr Kunjang Lamo, visited fruit propagation centers at Janjehli, Samarahan, Harabag, and the Rich Nursery Nandi in Seraj. They inspected high-quality plants developed by the department.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Deputy Director of Horticulture, highlighted that 2,645 grafted apple plants—varieties like Red Velox, Gala Sinka Red, Galawal, Redlum Gala, and Dark Baron Gala—were distributed, alongside 100 apricot plants, 100 plum plants, and 300 rootstock plants (Budd-9, Budd-10, and Budd-118). These plants, valued at Rs. 5,25,020, were supplied to Leh-Ladakh University.
Dr Gupta emphasised that the department’s ability to produce and distribute premium plant material across states marks a significant milestone for Mandi district and Himachal Pradesh. This success showcases the state’s dedication to horticultural innovation and positions it as a leader in advanced fruit production techniques.
