Horticulture Sector- Issues and Interventions needed  :

The horticulture sector in Madhya Pradesh has seen a drastic upward trend of new projects taken up for the benefit of farmers with the many fold increase in investment in the beginning of extension of 12 th five year plan i.e. 2017-18 onwards. 

Issues :

Raising orchards and vegetables is a high investment proposition and many farmers with poor resource-base are unable to take up cultivation of horticultural crops. Immediate post-harvest glut slashes down the unit prices and erodes the profit of the farmers. Highly perishable nature of horticultural products and lack of adequate cold storage facilities at cheaper cost Horticultural crops are high-tech oriented and many farmers lack knowledge of the same. Long gestation period from planting to economic bearing of fruit trees Seasonal aberrations due to erratic monsoonal behaviour affects the crop yields drastically Highly fluctuating prices and slashing down of prices to the lowest level especially during harvest season. Lack of appropriate transport mechanisms and remoteness of production centres result in huge transportation cost. Non-availability of adequate farm labourers especially during harvest seasons pose a major threat to the farmers for marketing horticulture Produce and ill developed cold chain system also result in huge spoilage of raw fruits and Vegetables. 

Constraints :

• High investment cost right from sowing/planting to harvesting time.
•  Long gestation period for getting the produce.
•  Lack of knowledge of normal / High tech Horticulture farming system & lack of involvement of farmers.
• Non-availability of good quality seeds and planting materials.
• Lack of awareness among farmers on the profitability of horticultural crops.

Interventions Recommended :

• Extension and Dissemination of Technology in Horticulture crop.
• High tech Extension for integrated Nutrients/Pest Management of Horticulture crops.
• Provision of Poly Houses/ Net house structure.
• Development Plan for existing nursery on modern lines.
• Nursery / vegetable production by latest germination and sapling raising techniques.
• Development of micro irrigation system like Drip Sprinkler.
• Model Fertigation plan for vegetables & fruit crops with Drip Irrigation
• Installation of Solar energy Based Irrigation System.
• Development of Root stock and Horticulture Varieties by tissue culture technology.
• Development of Cold Storage Infrastructure.
• Dissemination of cold storage technique of different Horticulture crops.
• Distribution of Horticulture Inputs viz Plastic crates (Banana, & Vegetables).
• Banana Cultivation with covering latest technique of Banana bunch cover & Banana sucker treatment kit.
•  District level farmers workshop /Horticulture Mela.
• Setting of farmers Producer organisation /associations in Districts.
• Dissemination technique to Enterprising farmers.
• Support for Betel vine growers.
• Promotion of Aganwadi programme with stress on Horticulture crops