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Chandigarh, July 7
Punjab’s push to encourage farmers to move beyond the traditional wheat-paddy cycle is beginning to show results, with the area under horticulture expanding to 5.21 lakh hectares, according to the state government. Punjab Horticulture Minister Mohinder Bhagat said the increase reflects the impact of farmer-focused policies introduced under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to improve farm incomes and promote sustainable agriculture.
The minister said the government has been encouraging cultivators to diversify into fruits, vegetables, flowers and other high-value horticultural crops, offering farmers an alternative source of income while reducing dependence on conventional cropping patterns. “Horticulture is emerging as a profitable, sustainable and future-oriented farming option,” Bhagat said, adding that many growers are benefiting from the shift towards crops with better market value. He said the Horticulture Department is supporting farmers through financial assistance under various government schemes, technical guidance, quality planting material and awareness programmes on modern cultivation practices aimed at improving productivity and profitability. Bhagat said departmental officials have been instructed to ensure that benefits under government schemes reach all eligible farmers in a timely and transparent manner.
Appealing to farmers to take advantage of the available support, he urged them to approach their nearest Horticulture Office for information, technical guidance and assistance related to horticulture schemes.
