Pomegranate crop flourishes in Tehri cluster of Barthin area
2 min read
Bilaspur, Aug 31
Shiva Project transforms the lives of 44 farmers; 60 metric tonnes production targeted
State government is spending 100 crores in the current financial year through HP Shiva project
Bilaspur, august 31: Horticulture in Himachal Pradesh is not only a primary source of livelihood for farmers and growers but also serves as key pillar for rural development, employment generation, and economic stability. To promote horticulture in the lower area of the state, the Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led government has allocated a provision of Rs.100 crore for the financial year 2025–26 under the HP Shiva Project. This significant initiative is not only boosting horticulture in the lower regions of the state but is also yielding tangible results on the ground.
As a result of the continuous efforts of the Himachal Pradesh government, the pomegranate crop is now flourishing in the Tehri cluster under Barthin in Bilaspur district. Spread over approximately 100 bighas, this orchard, developed under the HP Shiva Project, has produced a ripe crop, and the beneficiary farmers are now preparing to take their produce to the market.
In 2021, as part of a front line demonstration (FLD), pomegranate plants were planted over 2 hectares in Tehri-1 and Tehri-2. In 2022, this initiative was expanded into a full-fledged cluster by incorporating 44 farmers and extending the area to 8 hectares (around 100 bighas). Around 8,900 pomegranate plants of the Bhagwa (saffron) variety were planted, and this year, a production target of 60 metric tonnes has been set.To manage various activities of the farmers associated with the cluster, the Barthin Converging Horticulture Production Marketing Association (CHPMA) Cooperative Society Limited was also established.
While explaining about the project, Prem Lal Nadda, a beneficiary farmer and the President of the Barthin CHPMA Cooperative Society, said that pomegranate plants were initially planted in the year 2021 through the Horticulture Department under FLD-1 and FLD-2. On the year 2022, additional farmers joined, and the cluster expanded to 100 bighas. Currently, around 44 farmers are actively participating, and some of them earned Rs.1 to Rs. 1.5 lakh from the sale of pomegranates last year and it is expected that some farmers could earn up to Rs. 3 to 4 lakh this year, he added.
He said that several development works have been undertaken under the Shiva Project with the support of the Horticulture and Jal Shakti Departments. These include land development, bed and pit preparation, solar fencing, installation of drip irrigation systems, and provision of water through a lift irrigation project. Beside these, a water tank with a capacity of 2 lakh litres has been constructed to support irrigation.
