The Hindu : National : Horticulture Mission to focus on boosting output

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 24, 2004

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National

Horticulture Mission to focus on boosting output

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 23. The Union Agriculture and Food Minister, Sharad Pawar, has said that the main objective of the newly-launched National Horticulture Mission (NHM) is to enhance the production of horticulture products to 300 million tonnes by 2011-12 and bringing 40 lakh hectares under horticulture.

Addressing a meeting of the consultative committee of Members of Parliament attached to his Ministries, Mr. Pawar said the increased demand for nutritional security, improvement in farmers' income, value addition to agriculture products, increased availability of vegetables per person per day were the other objectives.

Ministers' meet

The Ministry would shortly convene a meeting of State Agriculture Ministers to discuss switching over to horticulture in areas where traditional crops such as wheat and paddy were grown. This would help in improving the productivity and quality, Mr. Pawar said.

The Mission would also focus on promoting processing of horticulture produce and value addition by providing incentives for setting up processing industries and food parks in potential areas besides establishing linkages between markets for the produce and processing industry.

The total budget requirement for the Mission during the 10th Plan was estimated at Rs. 5,974 crores and the requirement of the funds for 2004-05 would be to the tune of Rs. 745 crores. The estimated outlay for the Mission for the 11th Plan was to the tune of Rs. 15,725 crores. The Ministry had taken up this matter with the Planning Commission for `in principle' approval of the scheme, Mr. Pawar said.

Export earnings

The overall horticulture production had increased from 28.63 million tonnes in 1991-92 to 146 million tonnes by 2001-02. There was a significant increase in the production of fruits and vegetables resulting in increased per capita availability of these items. The earnings from the exports of horticultural produce increased from Rs. 141.1 crores in 1991-92 to Rs. 6,759.3 crores in 2002-03, the Minister said.

Krishi Darshan

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Rural Advisory Committee of Doordarshan was held here today under the chairmanship of the Deputy Director General, Sudhir Tandon, to chalk out a schedule for the Krishi Darshan programme for the next six months.

The members gave suggestions to improve the quality of the programme to make it more beneficial for farmers. They suggested promotion of agro-farming, raising of social issues and better publicity for the programme.

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