The Centre is planning to support and promote the expansion of area and production of 10 globally popular exotic fruit crops of commercial importance and as many indigenous fruit crops with high nutrition in the current year.
According to Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, during the current year, 8,951 hectares of exotic fruit and 7,154 hectares of indigenous fruit will be brought under cultivation.
The state governments have been given targets for 2021-22 for the area expansion of these crops, an official statement quoted Tomar as having said at the event. The event was organised by the Union Agriculture Ministry in collaboration with the UN body, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Despite the fact that India is the world’s second largest producer of horticulture crops; Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that the country needs a post-harvest food processing revolution and value addition amid increased agri-production. The Prime Minister has advocated for increased private sector participation along with research and development in the agriculture sector, Tomar added.
India produces about 12 per cent of the global fruit and vegetable production. Its horticulture production in 2020-21 was a record 329.86 million tons, higher than the 320.77 million tons of the previous year. The minister expressed hope that India can achieve the goal of bringing fruits and vegetables to the plate of the poorest of the poor, not as a special food but as a daily necessity.