CM Nayab Singh Saini Announces Major Initiatives to Promote Innovation in Horticulture Sector
Chandigarh, May 28:
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday announced several major initiatives to promote innovation and modernisation in the horticulture sector. He said new Master’s Degree and Ph.D. programmes will soon begin in subjects such as Post-Harvest Management, Plant Pest Control and Plant Diseases.
The Chief Minister made these announcements while addressing the inaugural session of a four-day National Conference organised by Maharana Pratap Horticulture University, Karnal, in collaboration with the Lieutenant Amit Memorial Foundation. The conference focused on the theme, “Strategic Paradigm of Quality Seeds and Planting Material for Horticultural Crops in Amritkaal.”
During the event, the Chief Minister dedicated 14 Horticulture Science Centres to Maharana Pratap Horticulture University. He said these centres would help provide farmers with the latest technologies, quality planting material and scientific guidance.
Highlighting India’s strength in agriculture, Saini said the country is the world’s second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, producing more than 360 million tonnes annually. However, he pointed out that significant economic losses still occur due to poor grading, lack of disease-free planting material and weak post-harvest management systems.
The Chief Minister said Haryana has set a target to double the horticulture sector and triple production by 2030. To achieve this goal, the state has already established 13 Centres of Excellence in horticulture.
He further announced that 1,000 acres of land across the state would be brought under smart horticulture technologies such as greenhouse farming, hydroponics, aeroponics, vertical farming and e-pest management.
Saini also said the government plans to establish Rural Haat Mandis linked with Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) pack houses. The first Rural Haat Mandi is expected to be inaugurated on December 23, 2026, on the occasion of Kisan Diwas.
To strengthen storage and exports, the government is also preparing a Cold Chain Policy. In addition, a Haryana Potato Seed Act will be introduced to promote certified tissue culture-based potato seed production.
The Chief Minister announced that a Regional Research Centre affiliated with Maharana Pratap Horticulture University would be established at Chansoli in Ambala district.
Calling upon scientists to focus on climate-resilient agriculture, he urged them to develop high-yield, disease-resistant and water-efficient seeds suitable for changing weather conditions. He said technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology and sensor-based farming would revolutionise the horticulture sector in the coming years.
During the conference, the Chief Minister honoured horticulture scientists and progressive farmers with various awards and recognitions for their contributions to agriculture and innovation.