MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI TARIQ ANWAR)
(a): Yes, Madam. The Government of India is implementing the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in 18 states and 3 Union Territories including Rajasthan. The eight North Eastern States
and the Himalayan states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are covered under
Horticulture Mission for North East & Himalayan States (HMNEH).
NHM aims to enhance horticulture production and improve nutritional security and covers all
horticulture crops such as fruits, spices, flowers, and aromatic plants along with
plantation crops of Cashew and Cocoa. Assistance is provided for taking up activities related
to production of planting material, area expansion, rejuvenation of senile plantations,
protected cultivation, Integrated Nutrient Management (lNM)/ Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) along with creation of infrastructure for Post Harvest Management (PHM) and marketing.
Under the scheme, assistance for vegetables is provided through seed production, protected
cultivation, INM/IPM and organic farming.
(b): The horticultural production has increased from 170.1 million MT to 257.3 million MT
during 2004-2012. However, cost of horticulture produce is a derivative of various factors such
as influence of weather, seasonal fluctuations in market arrivals and imperfections in marketing
channels.
(c): State-wise details of funds allocated under the Mission, including Rajasthan during
last three years and the current year is given in the statement at Annexure.
(d): Details of export of major horticulture produce during 2012-13 is given in the table
below:-
Qty.- MTs Value in Rs. lakh 2012-13
Product Qty Value
Onions 1637675 192925
Grapes 172597 125867
Floriculture 27143 42342
Mangoes 55413 26476
Other Vegetables 651050 133420
Other Fruits 260698 74414
Source: Agriculture & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)
(e): Government is implementing various schemes to promote horticulture in the country.
These include Centrally Sponsored Scheme of NHM and HMNEH, Central Sector Schemes of National
Horticulture Board (NHB) and Coconut Development Board (CDB).
In addition, assistance for setting up infrastructure for marketing of horticulture produce is
provided under NHM, HMNEH and Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters (VIUC). The Government
has taken up the issue of amendments to the Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act (APMC),
on the lines of Model Act 2003, with States/UTs, which inter-alia provides for direct marketing,
farmers/consumers markets, setting up of markets in private and cooperative sector and e-Âtrading
etc. These reforms will provide alternate marketing channels to famers besides ensuring greater
transparency.
Under the scheme on Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters (VIUC), assistance is being provided
for forming Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs) & Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and their tie-up
with Financial Institutions and Aggregators for aggregation of produce, transport, processing, storage and sale at remunerative prices.
