Chandigarh, December 24
Punjab has emerged as a national leader in strengthening agricultural infrastructure and expanding horticulture under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. Horticulture Minister Mohinder Bhagat said the state’s Horticulture Department has secured the top rank in implementing the centrally sponsored Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme, with loans worth ₹7,100 crore sanctioned for over 30,000 projects.
Bhagat said the Mann Government is giving a major push to horticulture as a driver of farmers’ income growth, promoting crop diversification beyond wheat and paddy. The area under horticulture in Punjab has grown from 4.81 lakh hectares to 5.21 lakh hectares.
To accelerate innovation, a state-of-the-art Horticulture Development Centre is coming up at Ladhowal, Ludhiana, which will function as a knowledge hub to train farmers in modern practices and high-value crop adoption. Highlighting grassroots initiatives, Bhagat announced the ‘Apna Pind–Apna Bagh’ campaign, under which fruit-bearing trees are being planted on village panchayat lands. The revenue generated will be used by panchayats for local development, helping boost rural economies.
Under the National Horticulture Mission, financial assistance worth ₹1,575 lakh has been released for new orchards, vegetable and flower cultivation, mushroom production, and beekeeping. To promote floriculture, incentives worth ₹14,000 per acre are being provided, with subsidies of ₹17.40 lakh disbursed this year.
For post-harvest operations, farmers are receiving 50% subsidy on plastic crates and cartons, amounting to ₹23.26 lakh during the current financial year. Under the electricity and water conservation scheme, ₹47.56 lakh has been released in incentives at ₹10,000 per acre for drip irrigation and orchard planting. Additionally, a 50% subsidy of ₹140.51 lakh has been given for replacing polyhouse cladding material.
Encouraging small-scale mushroom cultivation, the department has extended ₹54.66 lakh in financial assistance, with ₹80,000 per unit as subsidy. To diversify exports, a Centre of Excellence for onions is being developed at Kheri, Sangrur, under the Indo-Dutch cooperation project.
Three specialised fruit estates — a Pear Estate in Amritsar, Litchi Estate in Pathankot, and Guava Estate in Patiala — have been established to scale up fruit production and enhance farmer incomes. Bhagat also announced a 40% subsidy for flood-affected vegetable growers to provide economic relief.
“The Punjab Government will continue to launch new initiatives to strengthen the horticulture sector, ensuring sustainable income growth and prosperity for farmers,” said the Minister.
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