About us

History

Horticulture Department deals with the production and maintenance of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, spices mushroom, medicinal and aromatic plants. The cultivation of horticulture crops is highly specialized, technical and remunerative venture as compared to traditional crops being grown by the farmers. Apart from this, majority of Horticulture crops, being perishable in nature, requires systematic planning for their development. Horticulture development has assumed greater importance in recent years since this sector has been identified as remunerative for diversification of land use which provides increased employment opportunities, better return per unit area besides filling the nutritional gaps. Farmers in Haryana have also started taking up horticulture crops as a separate viable economic activity. With a view to give a boost to the growth of horticulture in the state, Haryana Govern-ment created a separate Department of Horticulture in 1990-91, which was previously a part of Agriculture Department, Haryana.

Vision and Objectives:-

Keeping in view the emerging challenges in the field of horticulture and to provide nutritional security to the masses the department with a vision “to make Haryana Modern Fruit and Vegetable Cultivation State with a vision to lead in domestic and export market” has earmarked the following objectives:

  • Diversification from agriculture to horticulture.
  • Doubling of horticulture production in 11th.

Five Year Plan

  • Optimal use of basic natural resources.
  • Establishment of convergence and synergy among stakeholders.
  • Improvement in productivity, yield and quality of horticulture produce.
  • Increase in economic status and thereby increase in income per unit.
  • Dissemination of latest technology at farmers field.
  • Nutritional security to people
  • Creation of export potential and earning foreign exchange

Haryana Strengths, Opportunities and Initiatives

Strengths

  • Favorable climate for production of quality fruits and vegetables.
  • Exclusive good soils for fruits and vegetables with a high production potential.
  • Proximity to major markets like Delhi and tri-city of Chandigarh.

Opportunities:

  • Proximity to NCR offers excellent marketing channels.
  • Scope for establishment of Processing Industries in fruits (mango, citrus,  strawberry) and
  • vegetables (pea, tomato, potato, carrots, garlic, onion)
  • Export of Mango, Citrus-kinnow and Vegetables to Far East.
  • Amendment of APMC act, opportunities for contract farming.
  • Favorable industry climate

Initiatives:

  • Increase in outlay of more than 200 times in the last five years. In the year 2004-05, the outlay for Horticulture was Rs. 80.00 lakhs which increased to Rs. 16573.00 lakhs in 2009-10.
  • Launching of new schemes of National Horticulture Mission, Micro-Irrigation and National Mission on Medicinal Plants. Major activities initiated under National Horticulture Mission are the area expansion under fruits, flowers, spices, creation of water resources - community tanks and post harvest management and marketing infrastructure.
  • Development of best integration model in India by integrating the components of community tank, orchard plantation and micro-irrigation & emulated by other States.
  • Concerted efforts on water saving techniques and increased subsidy assistance in Micro Irrigation (drip and sprinkler) scheme from 50% to 90%. So far an area of 8231 Ha has already been covered up to 2008-09.
  • Tremendous impetus to the post harvest management and marketing of fruits and vegetables and got sanctioned projects to the tune of Rs.67.00 crore and of Rs.170.00 crores in 2006-07 and 2009-10. The facilities created are collection centres, pack houses, grading units and whole sale market.
  • At Horticulture Training Institute, Karnal three new courses were started as one year diploma, six month and three month courses in the field of Horticulture.
  • With the agreement of Govt. of Haryana and Govt. of Israel two projects in the name of Centre of Excellence for fruits and Centre of Excellence for vegetables were started at Sirsa and Karnal respectively. In these centres all the new technologies with Israeli expertise will be demonstrated.
  • Entering into the field of Biotechnology especially production of micro tubers in potato and introduction of new varieties through tissue culture techniques.

 

Head Office and Field Staff positions