Revitalization of Rivers in India Draft Policy - Isha Guru Jaggi Vasudev

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
moving to organic fruit crops is hugely beneficial to the farmer in the long-term.
It is also pertinent to note that in the case of organic multi-crops it is likely that
the livelihood subsidy that the government would need to provide would come
down in both quantum and duration. We would probably need a subsidy for only
two years and not three. And the quantum would also come down substantially
for the second year - needing about Rs. 75k in year one as in the inorganic
fruit scenario, but much lower in the second year at Rs. 55k as compared to the
inorganic fruit scenario.
9. THE ROLE OF SUPPLY OF QUALITY PLANTING MATERIALS IN THESE
HORTICULTURE CROPS
Availability of genetically superior, true to type quality planting materials in large
number or in required quantity is the basis for successful establishment of good
orchard system. But in practice, the farmers are confronted with many problems
in sourcing the quality planting materials of horticultural crops.Inadequate
availability of quality planting material is one of the important deterring factors in
development of sound horticulture industry. It is of special significance especially
in perennial horticultural crops which has a long gestation period and effects are
known only in later stages. In the existing infrastructure, there are just over 100
big nurseries. A number of State Government nurseries also exist in different
states but in many places they are under utilized or used to produce only local
and traditional varieties in the absence of mother plants of improved cultivars.
Planting material is also being produced by the ICAR institutes and different SAUs
which are hardly sufficient to meet the every year requirement. Private nurseries
also play important role to meet the requirement of the growers and at present
the number of small and medium scale nurseries is over 6300. All these agencies
are presently producing only 30-40% demand of planting material using the
existing infrastructures.
Thus, the farmers do not have access to good quality certified disease free planting
material of true to type varieties as a result of which production, productivity and
quality of the of produce suffers heavily. At present, most of the dependence is on
the unregulated private sector nurseries in most of the states which lacks modern
infrastructure such as green house, mist chamber, efficient nursery tools and
556 Annexures