Theni is an agricultural district. Most of the horticultural crops are grown in it. From here vegetables are transported daily to other districts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Due to the favorable climate here, the production of vegetables and fruits is increasing year by year. Dinamalar newspaper kindly informed the Deputy Director for the official section about the works and projects of the horticulture department in the district:
About the work of horticulture department
Bringing the Central Government’s National Agriculture Scheme, National Horticulture Movement, Prime Minister Krishi Sanji Yojana Scheme, State Government’s Horticulture Development Scheme, Karunanidhi All Village Integrated Agriculture Development Scheme, Rainfall Development Scheme to the people.
To help people benefit under the scheme. Inoculation of farmers’ crops and help farmers to protect crops from disease if they occur. The horticultural research institutes also have an important task of imparting to the farmers about the technologies discovered to help agriculture.
Details of horticulture, hill crops cultivation area
Horticulture, hill crops fruits, vegetables, flowers, aromatics, herbs are cultivated in an area of 65,745 hectares in the district. Mango 9528 hectares, banana 6525 hectares, grapes 1725 hectares, guava 650 hectares are cultivated in 19,554 hectares.
Tomato 1450 hectare and onion 1025 hectare are cultivated in a total of 8507 hectare. In this, 1500 hectares of winter crops such as cabbage, cabbage, and cabbage have been cultivated.
Cultivation of aromatic crops
Cardamom 1440 hectares, clove 26 hectares, pepper 147 hectares, tamarind 1557 hectares are cultivated in the district.
Regarding export of bananas
Only the districts of Theni in Tamil Nadu and Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh have been selected for banana production in India by the central government. Export of bananas in Theni has been going on for 15 years.
6 thousand metric tons of bananas are exported every year. Last year 6500 tons of bananas were exported. The Grand 9 was the most exported variant. Now Mars is mostly exported.
The area under plantain cultivation has increased from 700 hectares to 2,000 hectares. Kilo Rs. 45 As the price goes down, farmers cultivate more. A large amount of bananas are exported to Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Kuwait and Iran.
Regarding Moringa Special Zone
Moringa is cultivated in 3720 hectares in the district. The state government has declared Dindigul, Theni and Sivagangai districts as Moringa cultivation export zone with Madurai as the headquarters. The most cultivated perennial variety is Krangapatti.
It is exported as green leaf, dried leaf, moringa powder, moringa tablets. Plant Moringa is cultivated to a lesser extent. Drumstick products are exported to African countries, Gulf countries and European countries in large quantities.
Whether barren lands have been converted into agricultural lands
224.75 hectares of fallow land has been identified in the Karunanidhi Integrated Agricultural Development Program of the State Government in the financial year 2021-2022. Drip irrigation is currently being set up in that land and the work of planting mango, guava, pomegranate etc. saplings is going on. In the financial year 2022-2023, 118 hectares of fallow land has been identified.
Area where drip irrigation is installed
The district has one lakh 28 thousand hectares of cultivated area. Out of which 22,000 hectares are double cultivated area.
So far, about 15 thousand farmers have been provided with drip irrigation facility up to 18,000 hectares on behalf of Horticulture Department.
Subsidy Details for Horticulture Crops
On behalf of the Horticulture Department, new horticulture plantations, farm ponds, protected cultivation system green huts, shade net sheds, construction of land wares, bee-keeping box subsidy, grading room, storage area for onion farmers are being implemented with subsidy.
Are go-go, avocado, dragon fruit cultivated?
Farmers have been trained on avocado cultivation. Avocados are cultivated in the northern hills of Agamalaya and Bodi. 333 plants per hectare have been subsidized.
It has been two years since planting. 16 farmers have planted. Kilo Rs. Farmers are showing interest as they are selling up to 100.
126 ha of coca is cultivated in the district. Go-Go Beans are priced up to Rs.210. Up to 2 hectares of dragon fruit have been cultivated in Seelaiyambatti and Uttampalayam in the district.
About terrace garden, home garden
People are interested in setting up floor and home gardens. The horticulture department provides growing media, plant growing bag, vermicompost, herbal plants such as tippili, brantai, black tulsi, tuduwala, sinitulsi, nochi etc.
These items worth Rs.1500 are provided at 50 percent subsidy.
Aspirants can approach the nearest Assistant Director of Horticulture office. You can also contact us on 04546 255780.