Horticulture Clusters

August 7, 2024

GS Paper III Economy

Union Agriculture Minister announced a significant investment of ₹18,000 crore to establish 100 export-oriented horticulture clusters over the next five years.

Stance on Farmers Welfare

PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN): He highlighted the government’s commitment to direct financial assistance to farmers through this scheme.

About Horticulture Cluster

It is a geographical concentration of targeted horticulture crops.
These clusters allow specialization in production, postharvest management and provide growth opportunities.
India’s status: It is the second largest producer of horticulture crops.
- Major fruits: mango, banana, papaya, sapota, pomegranate, acid lime and aonla.

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Benefits of Horticulture Cluster

Benefit	Description
Increased Efficiency	Specialization and division of labor lead to higher productivity and lower costs.
Economic Growth	Job creation, increased income, and local economic development.
Knowledge Sharing	The clusters foster collaboration and exchange of best practices among cluster members.
Improved Quality	Specialization and division of labor causes right focuses on specific products and adherence to quality standards.
Community Development	Social and economic upliftment of the local community.

Challenges of Horticulture Cluster

Challenge	Description
Resource Management	Limited access to water, nutrients, and other essential resources can hinder productivity and sustainability.
Infrastructure	Inadequate infrastructure for storage, transportation, and marketing can affect the efficiency and profitability of the cluster.
Market Access	Difficulties in reaching broader markets due to logistics and supply chain issues.
Pest and Disease Management	High vulnerability to crop losses.
Climate Change	Impact on crop yields and quality due to changing weather patterns.
Technical Expertise	Lack of skilled labor and technical knowledge can affect the adoption of best practices and technologies.
Financial Constraints	Limited access to funding and credit can restrict investment in modern equipment and technology.

Indian Government Initiative for Horticulture

The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
- It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
- Initiated in 2014
- This Initiative focuses on superior planting materials and cutting- edge irrigation systems.
- It has five schemes under it
  - National Horticulture Mission (NHM)
  - Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH)
  - National Horticulture Board (NHB)
  - Coconut Development Board (CDB)
  - Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland
Horticulture Cluster Development Programme (CDP)
- It is also a centrally sponsored scheme.
- Objective: It aims to develop horticulture clusters for increasing their competitiveness.

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