Last updated: December 17th, 2019 5:02 PM

Floriculture Development Scheme in Meghalaya

Floriculture which was once a hobby for the residents of the State of Meghalaya, is now turned into a potential commercial business. With a vision to transform the State into the Flower State of India, the Government of Meghalaya has launched the Technology Mission Scheme on Horticulture. The scheme envisions at overcoming the high cost of planting materials, seeds, cut-flowers etc., and to create a demand for the ornamental crops such as orchids, Chrysanthemums, Gerberas, Carnations, Liliums, Strelitzia reginae, Gladiolus, Statice, Gomphrena, Helichyrsums, Roses and other kinds of flowering shrubs and house plants. The scheme targets at encouraging and assisting the entrepreneurs and farmers in taking up the floriculture activities.

Objectives of the Scheme

The scheme which is implemented at the Government floriculture nurseries was launched in the State of Meghalaya with the following objectives:

• To encourage farmers in growing non-traditional and ornamental floral crops for commercial purpose
• To assist the farmers with the financial aids in cultivating the floral crops
• To expand the area for floriculture activities under the Technology Mission Scheme
• To encourage entrepreneurs and promote the export of ornamental plants
• To help them in improving the infrastructure facilities such as a greenhouse, ploy house, shade nets, etc., for the floriculture activities.
• To improve the socio-economic status of the farmers/entrepreneurs
• To support the Tissue Culture Laboratory at Government Fruit Garden
• To impart knowledge about floriculture cultivation for the farmers through extension and training.

Components of the Scheme

The Floriculture Development Scheme was set up initially as a Central Sector Scheme under the Technology Mission Scheme to assist the Tissue Culture Laboratory at Government Fruit Garden, Shillong. Later it was discontinued and introduced as a sub-scheme under the State plan Scheme. The components of the scheme include:

1. Purchase of Planting Materials such as seeds, seedlings, plantlets, bulbs, corms, tubers, earthen pots, shade nets, polyethene sleeve bags, pipes, glass sheets, UV films, labelling tags and other materials required for the packaging of the cut flowers.
2. 50% subsidy for the farmers for the procurement of rich hybrid flower seeds and distribution of planting materials.
3. Incentive for the farmers to set up drip irrigation for the cultivation of ornamental plants at the rate of 262/sq.m.
4. Subsidy for the purchase of organic and inorganic fertilisers, micro-nutrients, dispensable fertiliser rooting hormones, chemicals that are essential to protect plants from infectious diseases etc.,
5. Incentive to buy tools and appliances such as scissors, pruning knives, watering pots/cans, digging spades, fork, measuring tools, hanging baskets, lawnmowers and other such devices required for the maintenance of the garden
6. Grant of 935 per sq.m for a minimum area of 150 sq.m or amount as per the norms of Government is allocated for the Infrastructure development activities such as the establishment of greenhouses, ploy houses, etc., under the scheme.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligible beneficiaries who can apply under the scheme are as follows:

• All the farmers within the state of Meghalaya
• Farmers should have a minimum area of 0.2 hectares of land or more allocated for the floriculture activities.
• Farmers should possess sound knowledge about floriculture and cultivation techniques.
• Entrepreneurs should be interested in investing in ornamental crops.
• The respective District Horticulture Officer picks out the beneficiaries based on their knowledge and expertise with the ornamental crops, and thus it is mandatory for the farmers/entrepreneurs to possess some level of familiarity with the crops.
• Farmers should have the economic base and infrastructure to improve the productivity of the crops and meet the demands of the cultivation.

 Assistance under the Scheme

A total assistance of Rs.55 Crores has been allocated under the scheme so far, and the grant amount is utilised to provide high-quality planting materials, organic and inorganic fertilisers, chemicals that can be used by the farmers to protect their plants from infections and tools which are necessary for gardening for a minimum of 2000 square meters. Eligible and interested beneficiaries can reach out to the Director of Horticulture to get more details about the scheme: Director of Horticulture Directorate of Agriculture Cleve Colony, Shillong Meghalaya-793003 Contact Number: 0364-2227434 Fax: 0364-2227434 E-Mail: hort-meg@nic.in