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World Bank to showcase state horticulture project

The World Bank will showcase the Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project as a model project across the world. Incidentally, the World Bank had written to the Himachal Government to shut down the project in 2019, three years after it was...
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The World Bank will showcase the Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project as a model project across the world. Incidentally, the World Bank had written to the Himachal Government to shut down the project in 2019, three years after it was launched in 2016, as it had got off to a poor start and appeared heading towards failure.

“The World Bank had more or less decided to stop the project as it seemed going nowhere. But then the Himachal government and the implementing agencies turned it around so effectively that we now intend to use it as a model project around the world,” said World Bank team leader Bekzod Shamshiev.

The nearly Rs 1,100 crore World Bank-funded project was launched in 2016 for enhancing the production and productivity, marketing infrastructure, etc., for temperate fruits, mainly apple. As per the government officials, the project has achieved a high degree of success in achieving its objective.

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“We have imported over 30 lakh quality plants and rootstocks of various fruits under the project. At the moment, we have 47 varieties of apple available with us. Now, the imported planting material is being multiplied in the state and is being made available to the fruit growers at cheaper rates,” said Secretary Horticulture C Paulrasu.

Meanwhile, HPMC MD Sudesh Mokhta said the project had been highly successful in building market infrastructure for the apple growers. “Under the project, we have built new CA stores and the old ones have been renovated. A state of the art fruit processing unit has been constructed at Parala. Also, new market yards have been set up and irrigation facilities have been constructed,” said Mokhta.

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As for the declining apple production and productivity in the state over the last few years, Paulrasu said the impact of the project on this front would be realized in the next four-five years. “It will take a few more years for the new plantation to reach the optimum production level and boost the overall production and productivity in the state,” said Paulrasu.

Satisfied with the overall performance of the project, Paulrasu said the department was keen on World Bank funding the second phase of the project. “We can have the second phase of the project for agriculture, animal husbandry and horticulture. However, it is for the government to take a call on it,” said Paulrasu.

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