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The main objective of the newly launched National Horticulture Mission(NHM) of the Ministry of Agriculture is to enhance the production of horticulture products to the level of 300 million tonnes by the year 2011-12 and bringing area under production to 40 lakh hectares. This was stated here today by Shri Sharad Pawar, Minister of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution while addressing a meeting of Consultative Committee of Members of Parliament attached to his ministries. Increased demand for nutritional security, improvement in the income of farmers, value addition to agriculture products, increased availability of vegetables per person per day are the other objectives that will be secured by this Mission, the Minister said.
The Mission also focuses on promoting processing of horticulture produce and value addition by providing incentives for setting up horticulture processing industries and food parks in potential areas besides establishing linkages between markets for the horticulture produce and processing industry. The total budget requirement for the Mission during the 10th Plan is estimated to be Rs. 5974 crore and the requirement of the funds for the current financial year 2004-05 will be to the tune of Rs. 745 crore. The estimated outlay for the Mission for the 11th Plan is to the tune of Rs. 15725 crore. The Ministry of Agriculture has taken up this matter with the Planning Commission for obtaining ‘in principle’ approval for the scheme, Shri Pawar informed.
The overall horticulture production in India has increased from 28.63 million tonnes in 1991-92 to 146 million tonnes by 2001-02. There has been significant increase in the production of horticulture commodities like fruits and vegetables resulting in increased per capita availability of these items. The export earning from the exports of horticultural produce increased from Rs. 141.1 crore in 1991-92 to Rs. 6759.3 crore in 2002-03; the Minister added.
In response to suggestions from Members for increasing productivity and quality of horticultural produce, the Minister said that his Ministry was examining the possibility of switching over to horticultural production in areas where traditionally crops like wheat and rice are grown hitherto. The Ministry will be convening a meeting of state agriculture ministers in this regard shortly. He also called upon the support of scientific community for improving horticultural development in the country.
The Members who attended the meeting are: S/Shri N. Janardhana Reddy, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Suresh Ganapat Wagmare, Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, K. Francis George, C.Kuppusami, M.Appadurai, Dhanaraju, Alok Kumar Mehata, Ranen Barman, Thennala G. Balakrishna Pillai, Jayantilal Barot and C. Perumal.
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