Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched Horticulture Cluster Development Programme on May 31 for integrated and market-led development of 53 horticulture clusters, which have the potential to help 10 lakh farmers and attract Rs 10,000 crore investment.

Tomar highlighted that the programme will address all major issues related to the Indian horticulture sector including pre-production, production, post-harvest management, logistics, marketing and branding.

Highlights of the programme:

• The central sector programme will be implemented by the National Horticulture Board (NHB) of the ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare.

• It aims at growing and developing identified horticulture clusters to make them globally competitive.

• In a pilot phase, the programme will be implemented in 12 horticulture clusters out of the total 53 clusters selected for the programme. 

• The programme is designed to leverage geographical specialisation and promote integrated and market-led development of horticulture clusters.

The clusters of the pilot phase are: 

• Shopian (J&K) and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh) for apple.

• Lucknow (UP), Kutch (Gujarat) and Mahbubnagar (Telangana) for mango.

• Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) and Theni (Tamil Nadu) for banana.

• Nasik (Maharashtra) for grapes.

• Siphahijala (Tripura) for pineapple.

• Solapur (Maharashtra) and Chitradurga (Karnataka) for pomegranate.

• West Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya) for turmeric.

• These clusters will be implemented through Cluster Development Agencies (CDAs) which are appointed on the recommendations of the respective state/UT government.

• With this programme, the government aims to improve exports of the targeted crops by about 20 per cent.

• It is expected to attract an estimated investment of Rs 10,000 crore when implemented in all the 53 clusters.

• The programme will converge with other initiatives of the government such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, which is a financing facility for investment in projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets and will leverage the central sector scheme for formation and promotion of 10,000 Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs).

National Horticulture Board

The National Horticulture Board (NHB) was set up by the government of India in 1984 as an autonomous organisation under the administrative control of ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare and registered under Societies Registration Act 1860, thereafter, re-registered under the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Societies Act, 2012.

The NHB headquarters is presently in Gurugram in Haryana and has 29 field offices located all over the country. 

The broad aims and objectives of the Board are the creation of production hubs for commercial horticulture development, post harvest infrastructure and cold chain facilities, promotion of new crops and promotion of growers’ associations.

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