Farming Infrastructure of Himachal Pradesh

 Farming In Himachal Pradesh 

Agriculture :

Agriculture accounts for 9.4% of the net state domestic product. It is the main source of income and employment in Himachal. About 90% of the population in Himachal depends directly upon agriculture, which provides direct employment to 62% of total workers of state. The main cereals grown include wheat, maize, rice and barley with major cropping systems being maize-wheat, rice-wheat and maize-potato-wheat. Pulses, fruits, vegetables and oilseeds are among the other crops grown in the state. Land husbandry initiatives such as the Mid-Himalayan Watershed Development Project, which includes the Himachal Pradesh Reforestation Project (HPRP), the world's largest clean development mechanism (CDM) undertaking, have improved agricultural yields and productivity, and raised rural household incomes.

Apple is the principal cash crop of the state grown principally in the districts of Shimla, Kinnaur, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and some parts of Sirmaur and Lahaul-Spiti with an average annual production of five lakh tonnes and per hectare production of 8 to 10 tonnes. The apple cultivation constitute 49 per cent of the total area under fruit crops and 85% of total fruit production in the state with an estimated economy of ₹3500 crore. Apples from Himachal are exported to other Indian states and even other countries. In 2011–12, the total area under apple cultivation was 104,000 hectares, increased from 90,347 hectares in 2000–01. According to the provisional estimates of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the annual apple production in Himachal for fiscal 2015–16 stood at 753,000 tonnes, making it India's second-largest apple-producing state after Jammu and Kashmir.

Horticulture :

Himachal Pradesh has been endowed with a wide range of agro climatic conditions due to which a large number of horticulture commodities like fruit crops (from temperate to sub tropical), flowers, vegetables, mushrooms, hops, tea, medicinal & aromatic plants etc. are successfully grown here. Amongst the fruit crops, perhaps all kind of fruits grown in the country, except those which are grown in the warm humid coastal regions, can be produced in the State. Depending upon the agroclimatic conditions and the suitability of a particular area for the growing of specific fruit crops in that area, the State is broadly divided into four agroclimatic zones as described in the table below .

Horticulture Zones in Himachal Pradesh :

S. No	ZONE DESCRIPTION	ELEVATION RANGE (meters amsl)	RAINFALL (cms)	SUITABLE FRUIT CROPS
1.	Low Hill and Valley areas near the plains	365-914	60 - 100	Mango, Litchi, Guava, Loquat, Citrus Fig, Ber, Papaya, Early varieties of Grapes, Jack Fruit, Banana, Low chilling varieties of Peach, Plum and Pear, Strawberry.
2.	Mid Hills (Sub Temperate)	915-1523	90 - 100	Stone Fruits (Peach, Plum, Apricot, Almond), Persimmon, Pear, Pomegranate, Pecan nut, Walnut, Kiwi Fruit, Strawberry.
3.	High Hills and Valleys in the interiors (Temperate)	1524-2742	90 - 100	Apple, Pear (Soft), Cherry, Almond, Walnut, Chestnut, Hazel- nut, Strawberry.
4.	Cold and Dry Zone (Dry Temperate)	1524-3656	24 - 40	Apples, Prunes, Drying type of Apricot, Almond, Chilgoza, Pistachio nut, Walnut, Hazel-nut, Grapes and Hops.