In Punjab, farmers are gradually adopting horticulture and by this way they are increasing their income and easing burden on irrigation. During 2022-23, the area under horticulture has increased by more than three thousand hectares. Our correspondent reports that Union government funded National Horticulture Mission and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna are also helping farmers in this regard. <br />''<br />''Farmers of Punjab, who have a distinct identity in the world for bumper production of paddy and wheat, are now planting guava, amla, litchi, kinnow, orange, lemon, pear, grapes and banana. The trend to cultivate dragon fruit has also started in the past few years. These fruit crops require less water as compared to wheat and paddy while the income also increases due to higher rates from it. Currently, horticulture is being done in more than 99 thousand hectares of area in the state, and during the past one year 3 thousand 72 hectares of new area has been added to it. Fazilka district is at top with more than 42 thousand hectares of area under horticulture while Barnala, Moga, Fatehgarh Sahib, Kapurthala and Ferozpur are the districts where the area is less than one thousand hectares. Shishu Sharma Shantal, Akashvani News, Jalandhar.<br />