New Delhi. The cultivation and processing of fruits, vegetables, and spices is an area of potential. In view of these possibilities, the Yogi government has also set an ambitious target for expanding the area under cultivation, increasing the yield and processing for the next 5 years. The target is to increase it from 20 percent to 20 percent. The processing units to be set up for this would require fruits and vegetables as raw material on a large scale.
Work done so far to promote horticulture
Most important in this is that of quality planting material (plants and seeds). For this, the government will establish Excellence Center, Mini Excellence Center or Hi-Tech Nursery in every district in the next 5 years. Work in this regard is also going on. For example, Centers of Excellence are under construction in Chandauli, Kaushambi, Saharanpur, Lucknow, Kushinagar and Hapur. Similarly mini centers of excellence are functional at Bahraich, Ambedkar Nagar, Mau, Fatehpur, Aligarh, Rampur and Hapur. Mini Centers of Excellence/Hitech Nurseries are also under construction at Sonbhadra, Moradabad, Agra, Sant Kabirnagar, Mahoba, Jhansi, Barabanki, Lucknow, Chandauli, Gonda, Balrampur, Badaun, Firozabad, Shamli and Mirzapur. In the next five years, such infrastructure will be in every district.
Increase in the area and yield of horticulture with the encouragement of the government
Due to these possibilities, the area under cultivation of fruits and vegetables has been increased by 1.01 lakh hectare and yield by 0.7 percent in the last 5 years by encouraging the farmers. Indo Israel Center for Excellence was established in Basti and Kannauj respectively for fruits and vegetables for farmers to get quality seedlings.
Government is also promoting protected farming to grow off-season vegetables
In the last 5 years, for the production of flowers and vegetables, poly houses/shednets have been expanded in 177 hectares, benefiting 5549 farmers. This trend continues in Yogi-2 also, that is why the government is making continuous efforts.
The most effective way to increase the income of farmers in Uttar Pradesh is through the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and spices. With 9 types of agro-climatic zones, it is possible to cultivate all kinds of fruits, vegetables and flowers in different regions. Small-marginal farmers will play an important role in this. Their number is about 90 percent of the total number of farmers. Usually they do traditional cultivation of paddy, wheat or sugarcane etc. If their income is to be increased according to the intention of the government, then they will have to be encouraged for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and flowers.