Raising of horticulture crops under controlled cultivation is being given a push even as the district has been allotted Rs.2.62 crore for being extended as subsidy to horticulture farmers during the current financial year under the National Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture.
Under the scheme, subsidy is extended for various components including area expansion, promotion of cultivation controlled conditions using shade net and poly green houses, mulching, pollination support, mechanisation, micro irrigation and training on best practices for farmers, according officials of the Horticulture Department.
The department has planned to promote green houses in about 7,000 square metres and shade net in 14,000 square metres. According to officials, shade net is ideal for raising quality greens, flowers and tomato, cucumber and brinjal during summer. A variety of crops and vegetables could be raised under poly green houses. Officials said farmers could get a return of as much as Rs.9 lakhs an acre by raising vegetables or flowers under controlled conditions.
Cultivation of horticulture crops under the poly green houses would enable farmers to raise the crops even during off season and double yield, said Collector K.S.Palanisamy who recently inspected some of the poly green houses in Uppiliyapuram area.
One of the beneficiaries of the project, Ashok Kumar of Kottapalayam, said he had availed subsidy under the National Horticulture Mission during 2014-15 for raising various crops under a poly green house; he had spent Rs.19.40 for setting up the structure in an area of 2,000 square metres. Of this, he got Rs.8.90 lakhs as subsidy. He was raising marigold and vegetables. Ashok Kumar was selling the flowers at the Srirangam and Namakkal markets and he was getting good returns.
Farmers could get a return of as much as Rs.9 lakhs an acre by raising vegetables or flowers under controlled conditions

Source : The Hindu