Lucknow: As per the Agroforestry Report 2023, cultivation of fruits and vegetables has gradually become a field of immense possibilities for the farmers of Uttar Pradesh. The reasons for this include, the Yogi Government’s consistent appeal to the farmers to diversify cultivation of crops according to market demand for better income; production of high-quality plants in Centers of Excellence and Mini Centers of Excellence, which are then provided to farmers at minimum rates; controlled temperature and humidity for protected cultivation and the modernization of markets (mandis).

According to the report, the share of state in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables has increased from 7.2 percent to 9.2 percent in he country within a decade while the Gross Value Output (GVO) obtained from it has increased from Rs 20,600 crore to Rs 38,000 crore.

Horticulture center of excellence will be built in every district

It is noteworthy that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has always encouraged farmers towards cultivation of fruits and vegetables since his first term in view of its immense potential both in terms of its consumption in the domestic and international markets as well as for the growth of processing units.

More than a year ago, when the Yogi Government took over for the second time in the state, it set an ambitious target for the Department of Agriculture regarding expansion of the area of cultivation, increase in yield and processing for the next 5 years. As per the plan, the area under horticulture crops has to be expanded from 11.6 percent to 16 percent and food processing from 6 percent to 20 percent in UP by 2027.

This has been done considering the possibility of a large number of processing units to be set up, which will require fruits and vegetables as raw material on a large scale.

Horticulture infrastructure will in every district by 2027

Quality planting material (plants and seeds) plays the most important role in achieving the set target in horticulture. For this, the government will set up an Excellence Centre, Mini Excellence Center or Hi-Tech Nursery in every district within a stipulated time period. For example, the Center of Excellence is under construction in Chandauli, Kaushambi, Saharanpur, Lucknow, Kushinagar and Hapur.

Similarly, Mini Centers of Excellence are functional in Bahraich, Ambedkar Nagar, Mau, Fatehpur, Aligarh, Rampur, and Hapur. Mini centers of excellence/hi-tech nurseries are also under construction at Sonbhadra, Moradabad, Agra, Sant Kabir Nagar, Mahoba, Jhansi, Barabanki, Lucknow, Chandauli, Gonda, Balrampur, Badaun, Firozabad, Shamli and Mirzapur. By 2027, he government plans to have such infrastructure in every district.

Encouragement of the government led to increase in area of cultivation & yield

Due to the encouragement from the government and increasing possibilities, the area under cultivation of fruits and vegetables has increased by more than 1.01 lakh hectares and the yield by more than 0.7 percent in the last 6 years.

To provide quality plants to farmers, the Indo Israel Centres of Excellence for Fruits and Vegetables were established in Basti and Kannauj, respectively.

Government promoting protected cultivation to grow off season vegetables

To grow quality plants and vegetables out of season by controlling moisture and temperature, the work of promoting protected cultivation is also going on continuously by employing Indo-Israel technology.

In the last 5 years, 177 hectares of poly house/ shed net were expanded for the production of flowers and vegetables, benefiting 5549 farmers. Constant efforts are made to continue this trend in Yogi-2.0.

Dr. SP Singh, Vegetable Scientist said, “The most effective means of increasing the income of the farmers in Uttar Pradesh is the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and spices. Having 9 types of agro-climatic zones, cultivation of all types of fruits, vegetables and flowers is possible in different regions. Small-marginal farmers will play an important role because they constitute about 90 percent of the total number of farmers, doing traditional farming of paddy, wheat, sugarcane etc. If their income is to be increased then they should be encouraged for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and flowers.”