Lok Sabha Question No. 3383 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-16
Subject: Horticultural Production in West Bengal
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3383

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16 TH  MARCH, 2021

## HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN WEST BENGAL

3383.    SHRI RAJU BISTA

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:-

- (a) the details of the production of horticulture crops production including vegetables, fruits, and flowers, in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and North Dinajpur districts of West Bengal;
- (b) whether  the production of  oranges  and  cardamom  in  Darjeeling  and Kalimpong region has gone down in the past decades;

(c) if  so, the details of the steps taken by the Ministry to investigate the reasons for the same and the steps taken to assist the cultivators; and

- (d) whether  the  Ministry  would  consider  establishing  a  Central  university    for horticulture  or  agriculture    in  North  Bengal,  particularly  in  Darjeeling  or  Kalimpong District, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a):      The  details  of  the  production  of  horticulture  crops  production  including vegetables, fruits, and flowers, in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and North Dinajpur districts of West Bengal, as reported by Government of West Bengal is at Annexure-I
- (b) & (c):     As reported by Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Agricultural Research Institute(ICAR-IARI), the area and production of Darjeeling mandarin has gone  down  in  past  decade  because  of  shifting  of  area  to  vegetables  cultivation, spices(large Cardamom), tourism and other crops.

ICAR-IARI  has  reported  the  following  remedial  steps  for  addressing  the  issue  of decline in mandarin cultivation:-

1.  Started production of healthy planting materials (grafted and nucellar seedlings).
2.  To address the issue of rootstock availability, the institute has produced more than 1 lakh rootstocks.
3.  Four village cluster in the region of Sitong, Mungpoo, Balason and Iche Gaon was adopted and farmers were mobilized and trained for scientific Darjeeling mandarin cultivation.
4.   Under Indian Agricultural  Research Institute(IARI)  extension  and  technology transfer programme with the assistance of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana(RKVY), Government of West Bengal and National Bank for Agriculture and  Rural  Development(NABARD),  so  far  20,000  new  healthy  planting materials were distributed among the farming communities.
5.  Approximately, 100 ha area has been covered under new plantation by IARI (Research Station), Kalimpong.
6.   Four (4) nurseries were  established  for production  of healthy planting materials of Darjeeling mandarin by the farmers at village level in  Mungpoo, Sitong, Balason and Iche gaon of Kalimpong and Darjeeling hills.

The production of cardamom has not gone down in Kalimpong and Darjeeling region during  the  last  decade.  In  fact,  the  production  of  cardamom  in  this  region  has increased  marginally  during  the  past  decade  from  716  tonnes  in  2010-11  to  833 tonnes in 2019-20.

(d): Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has reported that there is no such proposal under consideration in the ICAR for establishing a Central University for Horticulture or Agriculture in North Bengal.

Annexure - I referred to in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3383 on 'Horticultural Production in  West Bengal' due for answer on 16.3.2021

A:Area in '000 Ha

| District-wise Area/ Production of Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers   | District-wise Area/ Production of Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers   | District-wise Area/ Production of Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers   | District-wise Area/ Production of Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers   | District-wise Area/ Production of Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers   | District-wise Area/ Production of Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers   | District-wise Area/ Production of Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers   | District-wise Area/ Production of Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| A:Area in '000 Ha P:Production in '000 MT                          | A:Area in '000 Ha P:Production in '000 MT                          | A:Area in '000 Ha P:Production in '000 MT                          | A:Area in '000 Ha P:Production in '000 MT                          | A:Area in '000 Ha P:Production in '000 MT                          | A:Area in '000 Ha P:Production in '000 MT                          | A:Area in '000 Ha P:Production in '000 MT                          | A:Area in '000 Ha P:Production in '000 MT                          |
| Sl. No                                                             | District                                                           | Vegetables                                                         | Vegetables                                                         | Fruits                                                             | Fruits                                                             | Flowers                                                            | Flowers                                                            |
|                                                                    |                                                                    | 2019-20                                                            | 2019-20                                                            | 2019-20                                                            | 2019-20                                                            | 2019-20                                                            | 2019-20                                                            |
|                                                                    |                                                                    | A                                                                  | P                                                                  | A                                                                  | P                                                                  | A                                                                  | P                                                                  |
| 1                                                                  | DARJEELING                                                         | 18.47                                                              | 224.55                                                             | 9.53                                                               | 200.63                                                             | 1.03                                                               | 17.62                                                              |
| 2                                                                  | DINAJPUR UTTAR                                                     | 50.63                                                              | 930.18                                                             | 11.48                                                              | 205.64                                                             | 0.32                                                               | 2.10                                                               |
| 3                                                                  | KALIMPONG                                                          | 12.90                                                              | 138.44                                                             | 3.29                                                               | 37.83                                                              | 0.82                                                               | 14.21                                                              |

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