Horticulture Sector in India: Potential, Challenges, and Government Interventions

• The horticulture sector, encompassing fruits, vegetables, flowers, medicinal and aromatic plants, and plantation crops, plays a vital role in India's agricultural diversification, nutritional security, employment generation, and income enhancement for farmers. 
• As the Indian economy transforms, horticulture is emerging as a high-growth sub-sector within agriculture.

Significance of Horticulture in India

• Horticulture contributes not only to food and nutritional security but also to export earnings and value-added processing industries.

The Clean Plant Program (CPP)

• To promote sustainable and eco-friendly horticultural practices and reduce dependence on imported planting material by developing high-quality, disease-free indigenous stock.

Implementing Agencies:

• National Horticulture Board (NHB) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Key Components:

• Certification framework backed by the Seed Act, 1966.
• Infrastructure development to support large-scale nurseries.
• 9 Clean Plant Centres (CPCs) across the country for tissue culture, virus indexing, and propagation of elite material.

Significance:

• Ensures availability of disease-free planting material.
• Supports the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision in horticulture.
• Reduces phytosanitary risks from imports.

Government Schemes Supporting Horticulture

Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

• A centrally sponsored umbrella scheme focused on holistic development of horticulture across various crop types.

Key Sub-Schemes under MIDH:

• National Horticulture Mission (NHM) – Launched in 2005–06.
• Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH).
• National Horticulture Board (NHB).
• Coconut Development Board (CDB).
• Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland.

Coverage:

• Includes fruits, vegetables, roots, tubers, mushrooms, flowers, spices, aromatic and medicinal plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa, and bamboo.

Coordinated Horticulture Assessment and Management using Geo-Informatics (CHAMAN)

• Utilizes remote sensing, GIS, and field surveys for:
• Crop mapping
• Productivity forecasting
• Resource optimization
• Strengthens evidence-based planning and area expansion strategies.
  

Key Challenges in the Horticulture Sector

Way Forward: Reforms & Recommendations