As part of efforts to empower the farming community, the State Horticulture Mission will offer subsidies to farmers adopting high-tech and innovative interventions.
The beneficiaries will receive up to 50% subsidy in a range of categories under the Centrally sponsored Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
“A total of ₹2.20 crore has been allotted to the district and farmers and aspiring entrepreneurs can apply for assistance through Krishi Bhavans in their respective panchayat,” said Deputy Director of Horticulture A.J. Sunil here on Friday.
Assistance will be provided under various categories that include area expansion of fruit and vegetable crops, agriculture mechanisation, high-tech farming in poly house, rejuvenation of orchards, processing units for manufacturing value-added products, cold storage, and mushroom cultivation. Area expansion of crops such as dragon fruit, rambutan, passion fruit, garcinia, jamun, jackfruit, papaya, and pineapple are included in the scheme with a subsidy ranging from ₹18,000 to 60,000 a hectare.
In the high-tech farming category, units such as poly houses and greenhouses will receive financial assistance up to 50% of total cost of construction. Under farm mechanisation category farmers can buy different type of garden tillers, fruit pluckers, tree pruners, power sprayers, fruit harvesters and other equipment with 50% financial assistance.
The scheme also offers support in post-harvest management, helping the farmers to set up processing units for agricultural produce and more focus will be given to crops widely cultivated in Kerala that include banana, ginger, turmeric, jackfruit, mango, and pineapple.
“Subsidy under the loan-linked scheme ranges from ₹50,000 to 12 lakh per unit. Farmers can also approach Krishi Bhavans for mushroom production unit, mobile vending cart, marketing infrastructure, pack house, ripening chamber, cold storage, retail market, vermi compost unit and refrigerated vehicle,” he added.
