In the wake of the delay in rain and snow leading to a drought-like situation in Himachal Pradesh, the Horticulture Department is keeping a close watch on the situation in the state.
An official spokesperson said here on Saturday that the district-level offices of the department have been issued funds to the tune of Rs One crore to deal with any such eventuality.
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“The amount will be used to aid necessary materials such as plants, water tanks, pipes, medicines, and micro-organisms to the farmers and horticulturists, after assessing the value of the loss, if any, said he.
The department has also issued necessary guidelines in this regard.
The orchardists have been advised to completely stop the harvesting and pruning of fruit-bearing trees till the rains so that further losses can be avoided, he said.
The spokesperson said that this was the right time to plant temperate fruits.
Those orchardists who have small fields, should plant fruit plants at a proper distance in the middle of these fields and keep the slope inside so that rainwater is used properly and soil erosion could be reduced, he added.