Shimla: The country’s first clean plant center will be set up in Himachal Pradesh, where other fruitful plants including virus-free apples will be prepared.
This will not have to import expensive plants from countries like America and Italy. Where the center will be established, it is not decided yet.
With the formation of a center, the gardeners will get up to 4 times cheaper than the high-quality virus-free plants imported plants, while the plants will not need to be quarantined.
The gardeners of Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand will also get the plants at cheaper rates. Under the Central Government’s Clean Plant Program of India, this center to be set up in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
10 centers are to be set up in the country, which will cost around 2,000 crores. A 12-member team left for Australia on Saturday to study the scheme.
Representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, National Horticulture Board, ADB along with State Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mohan Lal Bracta, Director of Horticulture Department Sandeep Kadam, Subject Specialist Park Dr. This team of other officials including Shakun Rana, Horticulture Development Officer Dr. Ramal Kumar will visit Melbourne and Sydney’s Horticulture University and Research Centers and get necessary information to set up a clean plant center.
Chief Parliamentary Secretary Bracta said that this tour will be very important for the vision document being made on horticulture.
Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that the party going to Australia includes all those who approve the project, provide a budget, and establish and operate projects.
One crore saplings are imported every year in the state
The gardeners of the state import about one crore apple plants every year. Bagwan pays 700 to 800 rupees per plant price. After the clean plant center is established, a plant will be available for 150 to 200 rupees.
This will be the specialty of plants
- More plants can be planted in less space
- Fruits will be quickly compared to normal
- The quality of fruits will be of international level
- There is no risk of diseases due to virus free
