Orange crop to be taken on pilot basis under MGNREGS in Vidarbha

Orange crop to be taken on pilot basis under MGNREGS in Vidarbha

ORANGES and Vidarbha arc inseparable. In fact. Nagpur is also known as Orange City because of orange cultivation and export of oranges to other parts of the country and abroad. However, over the years, things have not remained the same as far as quality and productivity of orange fruit is concerned. Considering this. Mahatma Gandhi National      Rural      Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) Directorate at Nagpur has decided to undertake a novel project.

The MGNREGS Directorate has chalked out a plan to implement a pilot project on orange cultivation under the widely popular scheme in three districts of Vidarbha. The project is proposed to be implemented in Nagpur. Amravati. and Wardha districts. In each district. 50 hectares of land will be covered under the project. At present. Vidarbha region has 1.48 lakh hectares of area under orange cultivation. Orange is a cash crop for fanners in the region. Against this backdrop, the project has been chalked out to give a boost to cultivation of quality oranges. The project is being implemented in Kharif season later this year.

According  to  Dr  Uday  Patil, Deputy  Commissioner

(Agriculture).              MGNREGS

Directorate, orange productivity in Maharashtra is 3.9 metric tonnes per hectare. Compared to other states, it is very low. Besides, only 13 per cent of the orange crop now fulfill the prevalent quality standards.

Posted in: News 2014