Agriculture Department, District Kargil

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Apricot, Apple, Pear and walnut have been under cultivation in Ladakh region since long. In recent years other fruits like Cherry, Plum, Peach and Almond has also been introduced and successfully grown in warmer belts of the region. The region has received its value of return bounty in the form of Apricot, which is the only trade other than Pashmina from Ladakh to the rest of the Country. Apricot constitutes 90% both in area as will production.

Fruit trees in Kargil district is grown over an estimated area of 1665.54 Hectares. The annual estimated fruits production is 6298.80 M.T of fresh fruits and 12.47 M.T of dry fruits with an annual estimated value of Rs.476.60 lacs. Around 2500 House hold are engaged in the cultivation of fruit crops in 66 Villages out of total 129 Villages in the district.

Kind wise estimated area under fruit trees, production and value for 2009-10 is given here under:-

S.No.	Kind of fruit plant	Estimated area in Hact.	Estimated production M.T	Estimated value (Rs. in lacs)
1.	Apricot	1355.36	5187.37	415.00
2	Apple	256.89	1093.36	54.66
3	Pear	17.64	4.16	0.25
4	Peach	4.43	4.52	0.27
5	Plum	0.40	0.42	0.02
6	Grapes	4.16	4.01	0.80
7	Cherry	8.91	4.96	0.50
	Total Fresh	1647.79	6298.80	471.50
8.	Almond	2.12	1.08	0.54
9.	Walnut	15.63	11.39	4.56
	Total Dry	17.75	12.47	5.10

On the basis of Fruit production and potential area available for establishment of new orchards, the district has been divided in to three Horticulture Zones i,e Kargil, Batalik and Chiktan Zone, each headed by a Horticulture Dev.Officers. Chiktan Zone comprises of Shakar-Chiktan and Shorgole Blocks. Batalik zone comprises of north east part of Kargil block and. Kargil Zone comprises of south west part of Kargil, Drass sub division ,Tai suru, G.M.Pore blocks, Tehsil HQ Sankoo and Zanskar Sub. Division for execution of various program and providing necessary guidance regarding various Horticultural practices to the farmers. Service of Horticulture Tech. are available in every Zone. The Zones had established during the year 1979 and so far no additional zone and staff have been created .With the expansion of the Horticulture activities in every nook and corner of the district, the smooth functioning of field activities become very difficult with the existing inadequate staff.

Keeping in view the tough terrain and to have effective implementation of Horticulture/activities through length and breadth of the district, creation of additional Horticultural zone and sanction of staff becomes need of the hour . In this regard a proposal had already been submitted to the Govt through Ladakh Autonomous Hill development Council Kargil during the year 2005.

The allotment/Expenditure during the year 2008-09 and proposed allocation for the year 2009-10 and expenditure up to ending July 2009 under district sector schemes are as under:-

Financial allotment and expenditure

S. No.	Name of the Scheme	Allotment 2008-09	Expenditure 2008-09	Proposed outlay 2009-10	Expenditure up to ending July 2009.
	On going works	Allotment 2008-09	Expenditure 2008-09	Proposed outlay 2009-10	Expenditure up to ending July 2009.
1.	A construction of C.H.O�s Office Baroo	7.00	7.00	8.00	0.00
2.	Raw material and drugs	3.71	1.83	2.40	0.39
3.	Machinery and equipments	12.00	11.21	4.00	0.00
4.	Subsidy and incentives.	26.35	17.34	43.60	0.00
	Total:-	49.06	37.38	70.00	0.39

Physical Target and achievements

S.NO	Name of Sector/Scheme.	Unit	Target 2008-09	Cumulative Achievement 2008-09	Proposed Target 2009-10
I	DEVELOPMENT OF HORTICULTURE IN DRY LAND HILLY AREA
	a, Area expansion under new fruit plantation.	Plot of 2 kanal size.	70	70	60
	b, No. of plant to be planted.	Plot of 2 kanal size.	2100	2100	1800
	c, Area brought high density apple plantation.	Plot of 2 kanal size.	25	25	5
	d, No. of plants to be planted.	Plot of 2 kanal size.	2000	2000	400
2	POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT.
	a, Distribution of potassium Meta Bi-Sulphite on 50% Sub. to the apricot fruit growers.	Qtls.	40.00	40	50
	b, Citric Acid on 50% sub. to the fruit grower for post Harvest management of apricot fruit.	Kgs.	150	75
	c, Supply of Osmotic dehydration equipment.	Sets.	500	745	800
3	Release of Bio- Agents.	Million	10	6.5	5
4	Training camp / Demonstration programme for ladies, House wives in the art of fruit and vegetable preservation.	Nos.	60	Nil	60
5	Distribution of fruit plants.	Nos.	17500	37180	20000
6	Production of fruit plants from departmental Nursery.	Nos.	50000	50000	80000
7	Distribution tool kits on 75% sub.	Nos.	Nil	Nil	125
8	Supply of Poly Green Houses Type Solar Apricot Drier.	Nos.	47	38	40
9	Replacement of U.V.Film for old Green Houses @ 50% sub.	Nos.	260	260	900

AREA EXPANSION

Under the scheme 95 plot of 2 Kanal size each have establishment covering 95 beneficiaries of different Zone along with 2100 Nos. of apricot plant and 2000 Nos. of High Density apple plants by issuing crate mesh fencing on 100% subsidized rate.

The block wise Nos. of beneficiaries benefited through this scheme during the year 2008-09 is as under:-

S.No:	Zone	Block	No. of plots allotted	No. of fruit plants issued
S.No:	Zone	Block	No. of plots allotted	Apricot	H.D. Apple	Total
1.	Kargil	Taisusru	1	30	0	30
2.	Kargil	Sankoo	7	150	160	310
3.	Kargil	GM Pore/Trespone	16	240	640	880
4.	Kargil	Kargil	15	450	0	450
5.	Kargil	Drass	6	180	0	180
6.	Chiktan	Chiktan	15	300	400	700
7.	Chiktan	Shargole	15	300	400	700
8.	Batalik	Kargil	20	450	400	850
	Total:(1-8)		95	2100	2000	4100

The norms/method of establishment of orchards has been revised during the current year plan with some new ideas that the beneficiary is provided with a subsidy up to Rs.20000/= for each orchard establishment on minimum area of 2 kanal and above and a subsidy 10000/= for each orchard established on a minimum area of 1 kanal .This subsidy will be provided on walling /Fencing and plantation of the proposed orchard after the work executed by the beneficiaries them selves as per their feasibility/convenience and as per the technical guidance of the Horticulture Department.

PRODUCTION OF QUALITY PLANT MATERIAL

For providing quality fruit plants, there are two main Fruit plant Nursery-Cum-Orchard of at department at Khurbathang in Kargil Zone and Gargarthang in Batalik Zone. Three smaller Nurseries are also functioning at Chanigond, Thasgam, and Chiktan to make available fruit plants in different locations.

The Nursery wise availability of fruit plants and its distribution are as under:-

S. No:	Name of Nursery/Orchard	Area under Nursery/Orchard	No. Fruit plants available/distributed during 2008-09
S. No:	Name of Nursery/Orchard	Area under Nursery/Orchard	Available	Distributed
1.	MOCN Khurbathang	5.40 ha.	44462	17100
2.	GVS Gargarthang	4.03 ha.	2293	120
3	F.P.N.Chiktan	0.23 ha	14610	3270
4.	F.P.N.Chanigond	0.29 ha	4858	0
5.	F.P.N.Thangam	0.28 ha	3885	500
	Total	10.23 ha	70108	20990

POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT

Under the scheme the department manages distribution of KMS, Citric acid, Osmotic dehydration equipment units, Pre fabricated apricot solar driers and U.V.S Film for replacement old U.V.S Films of Green Houses @ 50% sub. Besides, necessary trainings for osmotic dehydration and sulphiting of apricot before sun drying are also imparted to the apricot growers.

During the year 2008-09, 260 Nos. of old UVS Films of Green houses replaced by the new U.V.S. Films on the recommendation of concerned Hon�ble Councilor. For the current financial years 900 Nos. of Old Green Houses are proposed to be replaced with new U.V.S. Films.

Source: Chief Horticulture Officer, Kargil