Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar called upon the scientists and farmers to work towards reducing imports of horticulture produce and increasing exports.
Inaugurating the sixth edition of the National Horticulture Fair 2023, organised by the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticulture Research virtually, Tomar said the rapid increase in production and availability of horticultural crops will help in bridging the gap in nutritional security in the country.
Appreciating IIHR’s research efforts, Tomar said technologies developed by the institute contribute more than ₹30,000 crore annually in the ever-growing horticulture sector. The institute is working on 54 horticulture crops and has developed more than 300 varieties and hybrids of horticulture crops for the benefit of various stakeholders which are popular in North-Eastern States and other regions.
Tomar said IIHR has done remarkable work by linking biodiversity with the livelihoods of custodian farmers of jackfruit and tamarind, and this model can be replicated for other horticultural crops. IIHR has started work on exotic fruit crops (Kamalam, avocado, mangosteen, and rambutan), which will help in reducing imports, as well as the new variety of watermelons developed by the institute, which will help in reducing the import of its seeds, Tomar said, urging the scientists to sincerely take it up as a challenge to reduce imports.
‘Reduce imports’
Tomar called upon the farmers to be helpful in reducing imports and increase exports and contribute in solving the challenges. He expressed confidence that this horticulture fair will create awareness among farmers and other stakeholders about the latest technologies on horticulture crops for sustainable production and increase the scope for processing and export promotion to make India a global player in the horticulture sector. Horticulture production has increased by 13 times, from 25 million tonnes in 1950–51 to 331 million tonnes during 2020–21, which is more than food grain production.
Organised around the theme “Innovative Horticulture for Self Reliance,” NHF 2023 is showcasing and demonstrating the latest technologies developed by IIHR for the production and processing of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal crops with a focus on import substitution.
Tomar further said ₹2,200 crore has been allocated in the Union budget for the development of the horticulture sector, especially for AatmaNirbhar (self-sufficient) clean plants programme. With this provision, efforts have been made to promote the availability of disease-free, quality planting material for high-value horticultural crops.
AK Singh, Deputy Director General, Horticulture Science, ICAR, said horticulture is the most vibrant part of the agriculture sector, offers huge potential for crop diversification programmes of the Ministry of Agriculture, and contributes to the growth of farmers’ income.