New Agri Laws have Potential for Horticulture Crop Diversification: Deputy Director General, ICAR

AK Singh, Deputy Director General of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), said on Monday that the latest agricultural laws have tremendous potential for horticultural crop diversification.  

Singh said the farm laws would help the farmers and agriculture sector in addressing the National Horticulture Fair (NHF) 2021, since they hold a great potential for farmers to diversify their cropping system, especially with horticultural crops. 

As these laws help eradicate middlemen, Singh said, farmers can look forward to having a better deal. 

The ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) at Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru is organizing NHF 2021. In order to encourage entrepreneurship, the five-day fair demonstrates the theme of 'Start-up India' and 'Stand Up India,' said IIHR director, MR Dinesh. The fair shows modern farming technology such as hydroponics and highlights the bundle of practices developed by IIHR, new hybrids and varieties of fruits, vegetables and flowers. 

‘ICAR Director General T Mohapatra said the horticulture sector has a significant role to play in the country's economy, which expects to rise to $5 trillion by 2024-25, through increased exports of fruits and vegetables and manufactured goods. Horticulture also has a significant role to play in tackling issues such as malnutrition,’ said Mohapatra in his virtual address. 

Stressing the need for information to be disseminated to farmers, Mohapatra said fairs like these play a role in raising awareness of emerging technology. Knowledge would motivate farmers, Mohapatra said, and make agriculture profitable.  

Approximately 50 incubation centres are being set up to assist farm sector entrepreneurs, he added. Ravishankar Guruji, founder of Art of Living, who inaugurated NHF 2021, said India had to embrace organic farming for sustainable growth. He also emphasized the need to reform food culture and facilitate the strengthening of the immune system by supporting desi food.