Punjab horticulture minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra on Thursday said the state government, led by chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, would work to export the best quality litchis of Pathankot district to foreign countries in order to increase farmers’ income.
Addressing the gathering at a state-level litchi exhibition in Sujanpur, Jouramajra, who was accompanied by Lal Chand Kataruchak, minister of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs and forest & wildlife protection, said the state government’s move would reduce the farmers’ dependence on groundwater as this would encourage them to shift from the paddy-wheat cultivation to horticulture.
“The first litchi consignment will be exported soon,” he said.
According to Jouramajra, he contributed ₹1 lakh from his salary to facilitate the export of Pathankot’s litchi.
Horticulture director Shailender Kaur said efforts were being made to prepare and implement various horticulture schemes as per the farmers’ needs. “50% subsidy is being provided on cardboard boxes for packing litchis. 50% subsidies are also there on plastic crates and also on replacing sheets of poly house structures that are over three years old. ₹10,000 per acre will be given to for new gardens using drip system and ₹14,000 per acre is there to promote flower seed production,” she said, adding that mushroom cultivation also entails 50% subsidy.