KARNAL, May 28: Crop diversification and horticulture-based farming are key to farmers’ prosperity, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Thursday as he suggested several measures to increase the horticulture sector’s output in the state.
The chief minister dedicated 14 new horticulture science centres to the Maharana Pratap Horticulture University and said that now Master’s and PhD programmes will be started in subjects such as post-harvest management, plant pest control and diseases.
These centres will play a significant role in delivering the latest technologies, quality planting material and scientific guidance to farmers, the chief minister said while addressing a national conference – ‘Strategic Paradigm of Quality Seeds and Planting Material for Horticultural Crops’.
The conference was organised by the Maharana Pratap Horticulture University, Karnal, and the Lieutenant Amit Memorial Foundation.
During the event, the chief minister also honoured horticulture scientists and progressive farmers with shields, shawls and certificates of appreciation.
Saini said that India is the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world, and the country produces more than 360 million tonnes of horticultural produce annually.
Today, India is among the world leaders in the production of fruits, such as mango, banana, guava and pomegranate, as well as vegetables, including potato and onion.
However, despite high production, the country continues to suffer losses due to deficiencies in quality, grading, disease-free planting material and post-harvest management, Saini said, adding that the world now recognises that quality seeds and planting material can increase agricultural productivity by 15 to 25 per cent.
Therefore, there is a need to focus on quality planting material, scientific management and modern supply chains, he said and suggested that changing times demand new approaches.
With small landholdings, declining groundwater levels, climate change and rising costs, farmers’ income cannot increase through traditional farming alone. Therefore, crop diversification and horticulture-based farming models are emerging as the path to farmers’ prosperity in the future, the chief minister said.
He also said that under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana, protected prices have been fixed for 21 horticultural crops, including fruits and vegetables.
Besides, the government has launched several welfare schemes for farmers in the horticulture sector. To increase farmers’ income, a target has been set to double the horticulture sector and triple production by the year 2030.
The foundation stone of the main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticulture University was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 9, 2024.
According to Saini, the university has achieved remarkable milestones in such a short time.
The technologies developed here, training programmes and continuous interaction with farmers are giving new energy and momentum to Haryana’s horticulture revolution, he added.
The state government has also established 13 centres of excellence for horticulture, Saini said. (PTI)
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