Shimla: The Horticulture department will start selling the improved varieties of imported as well as self-produced fruit plants from 15th December 2022 onwards as per past practice.
Horticulture Department spokesperson informed that these plants were self-produced as well as imported from the USA, Italy and the Netherlands as per the demand of horticulturists.
Approximately 3-4 lakh grafted and 7-8 lakh clonal root stocks of Apple, disease-free plant material including Pear, Peach, Plum, Cherry, Apricot etc. would be sold under Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project in addition to general/standard winter season fruit plants.
The spokesperson further said that as per guidelines, these plants would be sold on first come first serve basis and the first preference shall be given to those cluster farmers who have already submitted their demand through respective Development Block Officers of the Horticulture Department and have been included in the World Bank funded HP-HD Project. He said that the plants would also be provided to other non-cluster farmers afterwards, if available. The plant material would be provided at the door steps of the farmers after proper packing.
He said that varieties including apple (grafted on vigorous/semi-dwarfing/ semi vigorous/dwarfing clonal rootstocks) Jeromine, Red Velox, Red Cap valtod, Oregon Spur-II, Super Chief, King Roat, Granny Smith, Schlect Spur, Scarlet Spur-II, Chelan Spur, Early Red One, Dark Baron Gala, Redlum Gala, Galegala, Buck eye gala, Brook Field Gala, Galaval , Gala Schniga Schnico, Gala Simmons, Gale Gala Malaga, Gala venue Fengal, Gala Ultima, Auvil Early fuji, Red Fuji, Sun Fuji, Gibson Golden, Golden Del, Ginger Gold, etc. Ambrosia, Baigent Gala, Enterprise, Red cameo, Crimson Crisp, Crimson Topaz, Crown Empire, Cameron Select Honey Crisp, Royal Red Honey Crisp, Premier Honey Crisp, Rubin Star Jona Gold, Braeburn, Red cameo, Ultima Gala, Aztec Fuji Yellow Newton, Snow Drift, Whitney Crab, Manchurian Crab etc. Apple (clonal root stocks) EMLA-7, EMLA-9, EMLA-26, EMLA-106, EMLA-111, MM-111, M9T337, Pajam-2, Bud-9, Bud-10, Bud-118 etc are available for selling.
This year, the sale rates of imported and kept at Post Entry Quarantine sites Apple, Pear & Peach (Grafted) would be sold at Rs. 400 per plant. However grafted plants produced by the department from imported stock including Apple, Cherry, Pear, Plum, Walnut, Apricot etc. would be sold at Rs. 150 per plant, whereas the clonal root stocks of Apple would be sold at Rs. 100 per plant.
