The Himachal Pradesh government in India has taken several initiatives in terms of new cropping patterns to promote cultivation of off-season vegetables in the state, according to an official release.

"Himachal Pradesh has already earned a name as the fruit bowl of the country and now the state is fast emerging as a Natural Glass House of the country in the production of vegetables as the farming community has come forward to cultivate off-season vegetables in a big way," the release quoted R S Negi, Director Information and Public Relation (IPR), Himachal Pradesh, as saying.

Vegetables are being grown in the state ranging from the Shivalik foot hills to the high Alpine zone up to 4,000 metres above sea level, Negi added.

He said that with concerted efforts of the agriculture department and the state government, vegetable farming has emerged as an magnificent alternative to cash crops in the state.

Vegetable growers are able to fetch net return of Rs 60,000 to Rs 100,000 per hectare from off-season vegetables, wheras the traditional crops only provide net returns of Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per hectare, Negi said.