BHOPAL: Apart from increasing area under horticulture in Madhya Pradesh, modern technology is also being promoted in the sector. Agro industries are being promoted for economic empowerment of farmers.

For this, Horticulture & Food Processing Department was constituted in year 2005 by merging Horticulture & Farm Forestry Department and Agro Industries Development Corporation. This is the reason that area under horticulture in the state has increased from 5.17-lakh hectare in year 2004-05 to 14.66-lakh hectare. This amounts to 183 per cent increase compared to 2004-05.

Yield and distribution of high quality horticulture plants and hybrid seeds of vegetables, spices, medicinal and aromatic plants has increased constantly. Total horticulture production in the state was 40.62-lakh MT during year 2004-05, which has risen by 477 per cent to 234.55-lakh MT now.

Fruit area has gone up in 10 years from 48 thousand hectares to 2.10-lakh hectares. This is 337 per cent increase. Similarly, production of fruits has also increased by 460 per cent during 10 years to 57.81-lakh MT now compared to 10.32-lakh MT in year 2004-05.

Vegetables area has also increased by 235 per cent. It was 1.85-lakh hectares in year 2004-05, which has increased to 6.01-lakh hectares. Yield of vegetables in the state has also increased by 390 per cent from 26.21-lakh MT ten years ago to 128.41-lakh MT now.

Area of spice has also increased considerably. It was 2.66-lakh hectare, which has increased by 108 per cent to 5.54-lakh hectares. Yield of spices has also increased by 1243 per cent in Madhya Pradesh. It was only 3.15-lakh MT 10 years ago, which has increased to 42.33-lakh MT now.

During the last 10 years, area under floriculture has also been increased. It was only 2 thousand hectares in year 2004-05, which has increased to 17 thousand hectares, which is a whopping rise of 19 thousand. During year 2004-05, only one thousand MT flowers were produced, which has increased to 1.99-lakh MT.

Area under aromatic and medicinal plants was 16 thousand hectare in the previous decade. It has risen to 64 thousand hectares now. This is 300 per cent increase. Production of these plants has also increased by 331 per cent from 93 thousand MT in year 2004-05 to 4.01-lakh now.