SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh government plans to spend Rs 150 crore for the development of floriculture in the state over the next five years. Under the “Himachal Pushp Kranti Yojna,” incentives will be given to progressive farmers to encourage them to adopt the lucrative cash crop venture. This financial year, Rs 10 crore will be spent on the scheme.The agro-climatic conditions of Himachal Pradesh offer excellent opportunities for development of floriculture, both to serve the internal off season market and for exports at a later stage. Efforts will be made to encourage farmers to produce cut flowers, bulbs and seeds as cash crops, said a statement issued by the horticulture department on Sunday.At present, the area under floriculture is about 642.48 hectares, out of which 98.51-hectare area is under protected cultivation and about 86-hectare area is under shade net houses. According to the department, around 5,000 persons and eight flower growers’ cooperative societies are engaged in floriculture in the state.As per estimates for last year, floriculture crops worth Rs 87.25 crore were produced, of which about Rs 16.74 crore were cut flowers. About 12,347 metric tonnes of loose flowers of marigold and chrysanthemum were produced in 2017-18.Flowers being cultivated in the state at present include those of Marigold, Gladiolus, Carnation, Rose, Lilium, Gerbera and seasonal flowers. There is also the potential to grow exotic flowers such as Alstroemeria, Limonium, Iris, Tulips and Orchids. Efforts will be made to motivate farmers to take advantage of the new scheme for incentives so that they can produce quality flowers, officials said.The department of horticulture has already established six floriculture nurseries to encourage commercial floriculture. These are Navbahar and Chharabra in Shimla district, Parwanoo in Solan district, Bajaura in Kullu district and Dharamshala and Bhatoon in Kangra district Two model floriculture centres with tissue culture laboratories for quality floriculture planting material have been established in Chail, Solan district and Palampur, Kangra district.

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