Importance Scope constraints and polices related to horticulture

1. importance and Scope of Horticultural crops in Nepal
Prepared by
Umesh Timilsina
Assistant Professor
AFU
CNRM, Bardibas

2. 1. Economic importance
 Gives higher economic return per unit area than other
agronomic crops ( yield is 5-10 times more) due to its
high productivity.
 Maximum utilization of limited land and increase in
productivity- HDP- in mangoes, banana, pineapple, apple
etc.
 Fetch high price during off season: offseason vegetable
cultivation
 Profitable during normal season:
 Price of fruits is 2-4 times than that of cereals.
 Most vegetables are short duration crop and it as
compared to other crops can be raised throughout the year

3.  Maximum utilization of land- high density
planting with closer spacing.
 The use of family members in fruit, vegetable and
flower farming saves both time and money.
 Generates income
 Plantation and spice crop- high demand in
international market- Foreign exchange

4. 2. Nutritional importance
• Fruits and vegetables are rich source of protein,
vitamins, minerals and fats,
• Vegetables: 300gm/ day / person
As per dietician, daily requirement of vegetables is 75 - 125 g
of green leafy vegetables, 85 g of other vegetables and 85 g of
roots and tubers with other food.
Fruits : 80-100 gm /day per person
Vegetables are rich and comparatively cheaper source of
nutrients.
Consumption of these items provides taste, palatability,
increases appetite and provides fiber for digestion and to
prevent constipation.
Considered as protective food.

5. They also play key role in neutralizing the acids
produced during digestion of proteinous and fatty foods
and also provide valuable roughages which help in
movement of food in intestine.
Some of the vegetables are good sources of :
Carbohydrates (leguminous vegetables, sweet
potato, potato, onion, garlic and methi)
Proteins (peas, beans, leafy vegetables and garlic)
Vitamin A (carrot, tomato, drumstick, leafy
vegetables),
Vitamin B (peas, garlic and tomato),
Vitamin C (green chillies, drumstick leaves, Cole
crops, leafy vegetables and leaves of radish)
Minerals (leafy vegetables, drumstick pods).

6. High nutrient availability of major fruit species
Rich in CHO: Banana (36.4%)
Rich in Protein: Cashewnut (21.25%)
Rich in fats: Walnut (64.5%)
Rich in Carotenes: Mango (4800I.U./100g)
Rich in Vitamin C: Barbados cherry(1400mg/100gm),
Aonla (600-700 mg/100gm), Guava (300mg/100gm)
Rich in vitamin B: Cashewnut, Papaya
High energy: Walnut
High in Ca: Litchi
High in Fe: Date
High P: Walnut

7. 3. Cultural and religious importance
• Many significance of fruits, vegetables and flowers
in many cultural and religious occasion.
• Eg: Newari girl- marriage with bel is mandatory
• Daffodil (Gunakeshari) very important in marriage
ceromany of Newars.
• Arecanut: to invite people
• Coconut shell: offered to god and goddess
• Chestnut, sweet orange, sour orange, mandarian,
walnut, banana: offered to goddess laxmi- Tihar and
Chhatth
• Many dry and fresh fruits are Bhai tika

8. Many flowers: offered to god during worship
Yam, Radish- during Maghesankranti
Sweet potato and Colocasia: Haribodani ekadshi
Turmeric flower: offered to god during Rishi
Panchami
Different items of vegetables and salad crops like
Cucumber, Radish, carrot, Onion etc. during various
ceremonies.

9. 4. Medicinal Importance
• Horticultural crops possesses a wide range of medicinal
properties
• “ An apple a day, keeps doctor away”- temperate
region
• “Two cloves garlic a day keeps doctor away: Tropical
region”
• “Eating 3-4 Amalas daily meaning rarely suffering
from disease.”
• The unripe fruit of bel as well as a little quantity of
jamun fruit syrup are useful for diarrhoea and dysentry
• Many ayurvedic medicines like triphala, chyawanprash
etc. contain many fruit constituents
• Many vegatables rich in vitamin Aand B: cure night
blindness, beriberi and paralysis.

10. • Many of the vegetable crops have high medical
value for curing certain diseases.
• For instance, onion and garlic are found to possess
antibacterial property (Sharma et. al. 1976).
• Many solanaceous and cucurbitaceous vegetables
are found to possess Vitamin A.
• White cabbage contains Vitamin U which is used to
cure Ulcer.
• Turmeric, Ginger, fennel, cumin etc. for cough
and common cold.
• Also Turmeric Powder as corona Prevention

11. 5. Industrial importance
 Have lots of industrial values
 Importance source of raw materials for industries
• Grapes: wine, juice and other products
• Potatoes: chips making
• Apple: wine, juice making
• Pickling industries
• Roses and other flowers used as cut flowers

12. 6. Aesthetic importance
• Flowers, ornamental plants and fruit trees: to beautify
surroundings.
• Planted along the roadsides, near buildings, road sides
and other recreational areas.
The red pink flowers of pomegranate, the flower clusters
of ornamental cherries
• One can enjoy the peach bloossom during early spring
• Coconut, date and mangosteen: excellent foliage
• Goldmohar, ashoka, silver oak: good avenue trees
• Bouainvellia: trained to climb up buildings
• Oranamental plants: indoor gardening and decoration:
rubber tress, orchids etc.
• Mental therapy: vivid flower colour and leaf shapes

13. 7. Other importances
• Horticultural crops have heavy foliage
• Active site of CO2 fixation and reduce CO2
level.
• Pollution preventers
• Root system: shallow to deep: control soil
erosion

14. Scope of horticultural crops in Nepal
1. Climatic Variability or Agro climatic diversity :
Four different climatic zone in Nepal
Tropical zone:75-750 m: Mango, Pineapple,
Jackfruit, Banana etc.
Sub tropical zone:750m t0 1500m: citrus
Mild temperate zone: 1500m-2000m
Temperate zone: above 2000m: Apple, Pear, Walnut
Climatic variability boon to Nepal

15. 2. Topography:
• Undulated land facing north to south slopes
• Slope facing northeast have crops growing
successfully than those facing south or southeast;
• For example , the slope facing north or northeast of Sindhuli
district near Khaniya Kharka has successful citrus
cultivation.
• The area facing the south at the same elevation is devoid of
citrus trees.
• Successful cultivation of horticultural crops require specific
conditions in terms of soil, climates, topography etc.
• Apple: South facing slopes
• Citrus: North facing slopes

16. 3. Demand and supply
• Fruits and vegetables- very good for human health
• People are health consciousness.
• Demand is high and supply is limited and less.
4. Proper use of land
• Most of the land (60%)- hills and mountains
5. Irrigation facilities
• Minor irrigation projects like Kankai and Koshi
Sichai Ayojana and other projects are running.

17. 6. Marketing facilities
• Compared to agronomic crops, horticultural crops
are highly perishable in nature.
• So should be disposed quickly to get better price.
• Various infrastructures are being developed to
facilitate handling transportation storage etc. of
fruits, vegetables and flower.
• Since Highways and new roads are being under
construction and completed in various parts of the
country.
• Thus the commodity produced in one locality can
easily be transported to other locality.

18. 7. Distribution of planting materials
• The seed, seedlings and saplings are means of
horticultural plant multiplications.
• The government farms and research stations, semi-
government agencies, private nurseries and farms
and many other projects are distributing and selling
the planting materials in a free of cost or at
subsidized rates
• These distribution creates interest in people which
favoured the production of high value crops mainly
fruits and vegetables.

19. Problem/constraints related to horticulture
development in Nepal
1. Poor people
 Mostly rural and low poor people are engaged
 Horticultural crops require intensive care and
management practice
 Need heavy investment
 High initial investment
 No proper credit facility and subsidy to the real
farmers

20. 2. Small land holding and acreage
 Fragmented and scattered land
 High rate of population growth
 Family separation exists
 Average land holding size per family: 1.84
 Horticulture and vegetables in commercial scale will be
difficult in such land
 So farmers will go after other crops eg. Cereals for
subsistence.
3. Geophysical situations
 Vivid geographical and topographical ranges
 Problems in transportation and marketing of perishable
commodities

21. 4. Climatic situations/misfortunes
 Frost, hailstorm , speedy winds, thunderstorms
occurs in various parts
 Causes serious losses
 Frost: lead fruit trees to death
 Hailstorms:
 Damage the photosynthetic area of leaves
 Reduces the source sink relationship
 Fruits splits, drop or look ugly
 Speedy winds:
 Disturbs normal pollination by distracting pollinators
 Premature fruit drop or uproot the whole tree

22. 5. Biological phenomena
 Biennial bearing in Mango, Apple, Pear,Litchi etc.
 Incompatibility between male and female
reproductive parts: Hazelnuts and Chestnut
 Papaya: no clonal propagation, only by seed, thus
production of more male plants
 Heterostyly and Dichogamy: barriers of pollination
6. Plant protection measures
 Crops are affected with diseases and pests
 Farmers have little knowledge on control of these
diseases and pests
 Lack of chemicals and organic pesticides and
fungicides

23. 3. Heterostyly: It is the condition of having styles of different
lengths relative to the stamens in the flowers.
 Pin flower (Sapota, Pomegranate) and Thrum flower
(Carambola) type flowers.

24. Fig: Sapota
Fig: Carambola (star fruit)

25. 7. Lack of extension support staff
 Less no. of extension professionals or experts in horticulture
sector
 Persons trained on programs, policies and activities of
horticulture crop extension are lacking
8. Lack of varietal improvement
 Most of the horticultural crops are introduced in Nepal.
 So many of them may not have the adaptability
 Varieties should be developed and tested according to the
environment
 Research on vegetable are somewhat satisfactory but in case
of fruits and flowers the research works are not satisfactory

26. 9. Lack of post harvest technology
 Perishable in nature
 Lack of storage facilities
 Lack of knowledge on post harvest handling

27. • Government of Nepal has always prioritized for
horticulture development in periodic plans
• In the 20 year Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP,
1994/95-2014/15), government outline the broad policy to
transform subsistence agriculture into commercial one and
priorities given to the horticultural crops such as apple in
mountain; citrus, coffee, tea and vegetable seeds in mid-
hill and mango, banana and fresh vegetables in Terai.
• Likewise, government formulated Nepalese Agriculture
Policy in 2004.
• The government has endorsed Agriculture Development
Strategy (ADS) in 2015 with the vision of a competitive,
sustainable inclusive agriculture sector that contribute to
economic growth, improved livelihood, and food and
nutrition security.
Government Policies and Plans

28. Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project
 Duration:10 years (2073-2082)
 Minimum (Target)
 Pockets: 15000
 Blocks: 1500
 Zone: 300
 Super Zones: 21
• Minimum area required for:
 Super zone:>1000ha
 Zone:500 ha
 Block:100 ha
 Pocket:10 ha
 Various zones, super zones, pocket and blocks of
vegetables and fruits

29. Super Zones and Zones related to Horticulture according to
PMAMP
Super Zones
1. Apple Super Zone: Jumla
2. Sweet Orange Super Zone: Sindhuli
3. Citrus Super Zone: Syanja
4. Vegetable Super Zone: Kaski
5. Potato Super Zone: Kavrepalanchowk and
Dadheldhura
Zones
1. Cardamom Zone: Sankhuwasabha, Panchthar,
Bhojpur, Terathum, Lamjung
2. Potato Zone: Okaldhunga, Bhaktapur&Kathmandu,
Baglung, Bajhang, Nuwakot, Achham, Dailekh
3. Citrus Zone: Solukhumbhu, Udayapur, Nawalpur,
Myagdi, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Gulmi, Gorkha

30. 4. Ginger/Turmeric Zone: Sunsari, Udayapur, Salyan,
Surkhet, Doti
5. Kiwi Zone: Solukhubu, Illam, Dolakha
6. Supari and Rubber Zone: Jhapa
7.Vegetable Zone: Sunsari, Mahottari, Parsa, Makwanpur,
Lalitpur, Dhading, Chitwan, Nawalpur, Kapilbastu, Palpa,
Arghakachi, Rukum West
8. Vegetable Seed Zone: Rukum West
9. Sweet Orange Zone: Ramechhap
10. Banana Zone: Chitwan
11. Apple Zone: Manang, Mustang,Kalikot, Humla, Dolpa
12. Spice Zone: Syanja
13. Walnut Zone: Rukum East, Darchula
14. Bean Zone: Mugu
15. Olive Zone: Bajura