In Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district, the Chief Minister State Horticultural Development Scheme is being implemented to strengthen the financial condition of farmers and motivate them to move away from traditional cropping toward commercial horticulture. Under this initiative by the Horticulture Department, farmers are being provided substantial financial assistance for planting fruit orchards, cultivating exotic crops, receiving free vegetable seeds, growing medicinal plants, and purchasing modern agricultural equipment. The main objective of the scheme is to connect farmers with advanced technology to increase both crop yield and profit. According to departmental officials, eligible applicants will be awarded benefits in a fully transparent manner on a first come, first served basis.
Heavy Subsidies for Fruit Orchards and Dragon Fruit Cultivation
Under the Chief Minister State Horticultural Development Scheme, special incentives are being extended to growers establishing new fruit orchards in Shahjahanpur district. Farmers planting traditional commercial fruit crops like mango, guava, and papaya are eligible for financial support of 50 thousand rupees per hectare. This grant amount will be transferred directly into the bank accounts of farmers in two separate installments. Additionally, to promote the cultivation of dragon fruit, a high-demand exotic crop, the government has allocated a massive subsidy of 2 lakh 70 thousand rupees per hectare. With this large incentive, farmers can cultivate high-quality dragon fruit at lower out-of-pocket costs and significantly boost their annual earnings.
Free Seed Distribution, Trellis Farming, and Medicinal Plants
To make the district self-reliant in vegetable and spice production, high-yielding hybrid vegetable seeds are being distributed free of charge to farmers under the hybrid vegetable programme. Plastic crates are also being provided for safe post-harvest storage and transport of produce. Under the spice cultivation push, free seeds for onion and garlic farming are being offered to interested growers. To enhance quality and yield during the kharif season for cucurbitaceous crops, farmers adopting the trellis method will receive a grant of 10 thousand rupees per hectare. Furthermore, saplings of the medicinal plant Shatavar are being made available through the Horticulture Department.
Agricultural Mechanization, Mushroom Units, and Crop Protection
The Horticulture Department is focusing heavily on mechanization to reduce manual labor and increase efficiency in horticultural operations. Subsidies are being provided for purchasing essential machinery such as power tillers, sprayers, and mini tractors. To safeguard fruit quality and protect crops from pests, fruit bags will be distributed completely free of charge. For boosting mushroom farming, financial support is available for setting up low-cost production units. Special financial assistance is also offered for plastic mulching technology, which retains soil moisture, curbs weed growth, and protects crops.
Application Process and Required Documentation
District Horticulture Officer Dr. Punit Kumar Pathak clarified the scheme guidelines, stating that execution will follow a transparent framework on a first come, first served basis. Interested farmers must visit the District Horticulture Department office promptly to complete their registration. Applicants need to submit their land record documents (khatauni), Aadhaar card, bank passbook copy, and two passport-sized photographs. Following verification of the submitted documents, eligible farmers will receive the scheme benefits directly.
