Shimla: The Agriculture Ministry under the Union government has agreed to increase the central assistance for better varieties of apple in the Himachal Pradesh.

Hence, the ministry will increase central support from Rs 23,000 per hectare to Rs 56,000 per hectare for planting improved apple tree varieties, according to a media report.

The announcement was made by the state’s horticulture minister Narender Bragta after his meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in New Delhi.

Further, the Centre has assured 100 % assistance for horticulture equipment to be used for replanting new apple orchards. In its ambitious orchard plan with an investment of Rs 148 crore, the state plans to replace old apple orchards with the latest high yielding, disease-resistant and improved varieties over the next three years in 1,000 hectares of orchard area.

Speaking to the media, the Minister said, “Under the plan, 5.8 million apple plants will be supplied to farmers from registered nurseries and tissue culture labs in both the public and the private sector.”

There are 30 state owned nurseries and four tissue culture labs. In the private sector there are over 400 registered nurseries in the private sector.

According to Bragta, the state government had a target to produce 80,000 tonnes of apply every year and to increase the productivity by 400 % under the rejuvenated 1000 hectares by planting the latest high yielding disease-resistant apple varieties.