Horticulture Dept advises farmers to buy saplings from Govt or registered fruit nurseries

Shimla: Cautioning fruit growers for using plants sampling from unregistered nurseries, the horticulture department of the state has advised procuring plants from the government and registered fruit nurseries.

Director Horticulture Dr R.K. Pruthi, in a press statement on Wednesday, stated that due to low prices, the fruit growers were procuring plants, rootstocks and saplings of fruit plants from non-registered nurseries.

Dr Pruthi also cautioned growers against importing plants illegally from outside the state.

“It has come to the notice of the department that fruit plants, rootstocks and saplings of fruit plants are being imported from other states in an unauthorised manner by the unregistered nursery growers and the same are being sold to the orchardists of the state at low prices,” Dr Purthi said and further asked to stop the practice as it’s illegal under Himachal Pradesh Fruit Nursery Registration and Regulation Act, 2015 and Rules, 2020.

He was concerned that importing plants from outside of the state may carry viruses and augmented the possibility of spreading diseases and pests from these plants.

Director horticulture clarified to take action against guilty under section (23) of the Himachal Pradesh Fruit and Nursery Registration and Regulation Act, 2015.