Financial assistance under normal spacing is at the rate of 75% of cost of Rs.40, 000 per ha in three installment whereas in the case of high density planting, the assistance is at the rate of 50% of cost of Rs.80, 000 per ha, in three installments.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries, Harish Rawat said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that the Government is providing financial assistance to encourage cultivation of pomegranate under National Horticulture Mission.  Financial assistance under normal spacing is at the rate of 75% of cost of Rs.40, 000 per ha in three installment whereas in the case of high density planting, the assistance is at the rate of 50% of cost of Rs.80, 000 per ha, in three installments for a maximum area of four hectares per beneficiary.

The assistance being provided under NHM is adequate to incentivize the farmers for meeting the cost of quality planting material and other inputs. The farmers are encouraged to avail other government schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) to meet the cost involved in earthwork.

Background: Pomegranates have originated from Iran. It is cultivated in Spain, Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Japan, Russia, America, and India.  Maharashtra State is the leading producer of pomegranates in India. In India more than one lakh hectares of area is under pomegranate cultivation presently. In Maharashtra pomegranate is cultivated in many districts.  Main Varieties are Ganesh, Phule Arakta, Mridula, & Bhagwa. The fruits are available for exports mainly from July to September.

A National Horticulture Mission has been launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to promote holistic growth of the horticulture sector through an area based regionally differentiated strategies. The scheme is fully funded by the Government and different components proposed for implementation financially supported on the scales laid down. (SSNS)