The saga of Haryana from being a food deficit State on 1st November, 1966 to being the second largest contributor to the Central Pool of food grains is truly amazing. Hard working farmers of Haryana enabled the state to make the incredible contribution of 14 per cent to the Central Pool despite having only 1.4 per cent of the country’s total area. It is laudable that during 2016-17, food grain production of 180 lacs MTs was achieved.

Achievements of Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry & dairying, cooperation, fisheries and boards/ corportations :

• During Rabi 2017-18, 74.25 lakh million tonne (LMT) wheat was procured at Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs. 1625 per quintal. During Kharif 2017-18, 59.17 LMT paddy was procured at MSP of Rs. 1550 and Rs. 1590 for common and Grade ‘A’ varieties. All these numbers are the highest ever in the history of the state.
• The State Government has implemented the Crop Insurance Scheme namely “Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY)” to mitigate losses in the farm sector and provide financial support to the farmers in the event of failure of notified crops namely, Paddy, Bajra, Maize and Cotton in Kharif and Wheat, Barley, Gram and Mustard in the Rabi season. An amount of Rs. 277 crore has been distributed as claim to affected farmers for Kharif 2016 and Rabi 2016-2017.
• To make farmers risk free State Government had increased crop compensation upto maximum from Rs. 6,000/- to 12,000/- per acre and minimum from Rs. 250/- to 500/- per acre. Further farmers have been compensated for crop loss against natural calamity, to the extent of Rs. 1092 crore for wheat and Rs. 976 crore for cotton in the year 2015 and 2016 respectively.
• The State Government has provided 6180 number of paddy straw management implements to the farmers beneficiaries for crop residue management in the State with a subsidy of Rs. 22.57 crore. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare also organized 4000 awareness camps to make farmers aware of the ill effects of paddy crop residue burning in which more than 2 lacs farmers participated.
• Top priority has been given to micro-irrigation technology for efficient use of water for agriculture purpose for which State Irrigation Plan of Rs. 992.72 Crore has been prepared under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). The State has prepared Action Plan of Rs. 435.00 Crore exclusively for the 36 identified over-exploited and critical blocks to achieve water conservation, water use efficiency and to address the problem of rapid ground water depletion.
• The State Government under the flagship “Soil Health Card Scheme” has distributed 40,02,238 number of Soil Health Cards (SHCs) to the farmers of the State for balanced and optimum use of fertilizers.
• The State Government has imparted training to farmers to encourage organic farming in the State in 20 clusters of 50 acre each under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for using organic manure and bio fertilizers with focus on livestock.
• To mitigate the impact of the Climate Change on Agriculture and to educate farmers in 250 villages, Climate Smart Agriculture Scheme has been launched in collaboration with NABARD at a cost of Rs. 25 crore.
• The State Government has fixed the highest ever sugarcane price per quintal varying from Rs. 320/- — Rs. 330/- to protect the interest of the sugarcane farmers. In addition Sunflower, Moong and Mustard has been procured at MSP from farmers.
• To streamline the requirement and use of fertilizers, the State Government has successfully implemented the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme and more than 5500 Point of Sale (POS) machines have been installed in the fertilizers retail outlets.
• The “Horticulture Vision” is to double the area under horticulture and triple the horticulture production in the State by 2030. 15 percent of the total cultivated area is envisaged to be brought under horticulture, up from the existing 7.5 percent. To achieve the above goal, the Crop Cluster Development Programme has been launched to develop supply chain with cost of Rs. 51035.60 lacs for Farmers Producer Organizations.
• The State Govt. is promoting peri-urban farming in 13 NCR Districts by launching a Pilot project of Rs. 4 crore in Faridabad District for high value vegetables and their direct marketing.
• An outlay of Rs. 48659.00 lacs has been kept for establishing the first Horticulture University in Karnal with three Regional Research Stations and envisions further international collaborations with global institutes and universities.
• To further boost demonstration activities in horticultural crops, Centres of Excellence are being established in each District.
• First centre of its kind in India on Bee-Keeping has been established in District Kurukshetra in 2017 and work on three centres in District Palwal, Jhajjar & Narnaul has been started.
• The “Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana” has been launched for horticulture crops to mitigate the risk of farmers by giving them incentives during low prices in whole sale market. In the first phase, four crops onion, tomato, potato & cauliflower have been taken.
• The e-market platform under e-NAM (National Agricultural Market) Scheme has been launched to make the system for marketing of agricultural produce smooth, transparent and farmer/arhtiya-friendly. As many as 54 mandis in the State have been connected with this platform and 50 more shall be connected by year end.
• A Kisan Kalyan Pradhikaran Haryana will be set up in the state to undertake all possible measures to make agricultural remunerative and enhance agricultural productivity to mitigate the physical, financial and psychological distress of farm households and landless workers.
• The total annual milk production for the year 2016-17 has reached 29.75 lakh tones taking up the per capita per day availability of milk of 878 grams, the second highest in the country. A Gokul Gram is being established at Government Livestock Farm, Hisar for quality indigenous cattle such as Hariana, Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Gir.
• During the year 2017-18, Cooperative Banks have extended loans amounting to Rs. 5,414.01 crore to the farmers of the State upto January, 2018. For the benefit of farmers, 12.37 lakhs Kisan Credit Cards have been issued till December, 2017.
• A new Sugar Mill of 3500 TCD with latest technology for co-generation and production of refined sugar at an estimated cost of Rs. 225 crore is being established at Karnal. It will be completed within two years.
• HSIIDC has developed Food Park at Rai in District Sonipat and at Saha in District Ambala. A Mega Food Park Project is also being developed at industrial Estate Barhi in Sonipat District and another Mega Food Park is proposed at IMT Rohtak. HSIIDC is setting up a Mega Food Park Project at Industrial Estate Barhi (Phase III), over an area of about 75 acres, under the Mega Food Park Scheme (MFPS) of Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI), Govt. of India. The project would be set-up with an investment of nearly Rs. 177 crore. Project development works are underway.
• Food Park at Rai has been developed by HSIIDC over an area of about 115 acres in Phase-I (224 plots) & 95 acres in Phase-II (143 plots) with state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities. Unit are primarily engaged in the manufacture/processing of the dal, rice, seeds, spices, juices, dairy products, breads, fruits and vegetables etc. Some prominent allottees include – Yakult Danone India, Bikanerwala Foods, Reliance Industries, Rajdhani Flour Mills, Danone Foods and Beverages India, Victoria Foods, Kayem Food Inds., Shree Bankey Behari Foods etc. Food Park at Saha has been developed over an area of about 49 acres (147 plots).
• Agro based & Food processing units have set-up their projects at the park. Some prominent allottees include – UR Fish and Food Processing Industries, Nu-Tech Diary Systems Pvt. Ltd., KMF international Limited, Sungrow Seeds Limited, Epicu Agro Food Pvt. Ltd. etc.
• The Dairy Cooperatives in Haryana procured an average of 5.50 laks litres milk per day from April, 2017 to February, 2018. Under ‘Mukhya Mantri Dugdh Utpadak Protsahan Yojana’ the Government has provided Rs. 5 per litre in addition to existing rate to milk pourers of Cooperative Milk Societies during the lean period of ‘April to September’. In another first, the price difference of Rs. 1.5 per litre has been paid to the milk pourers by the Haryana Diary Development Federation from its profit during the same period.
• HAFED has initiated the process of setting up of a Mega Food Project at IMT, Rohtak, with an estimated cost of Rs. 181 crore.
• The Gau Sewa Ayog constituted by the Government for the welfare and upkeep of Gau Vansh has initiated the process of establishment of Gau Abhyaranyas in Panipat and Hisar which shall provide appropriate shelter, fodder and veterinary care for stray cattle.Gokul Gram will be established at Government Livestock Farm, Hisar. The existing herds of Hariana, Sahiwal and Tharparkar breeds and the available infrastructure will be suitably strengthened to achieve the objectives of the Gokul Gram. A new herd of Gir breed will also be established.
• HSWC handles average storage capacity of 16.18 LMT through a network of 111 warehouses in the State with 89% utilization as on 31.01.2018. Godowns of capacity 91, 304 are proposed to be constructed during 2017-18 to 2018-10. HSWC procured 13.46 LMT of wheat and 6.65 LMT of paddy during 2017-18 for the central pool, which is highest in the history of HSWC.
• In extension services, HSWC staff educated 3824 farmers in 366 villages about the various methods and benefits of scientific storage & preservation during 2017-18 (up to 31.01.2018). HSWC earned Rs. 9.20 Lacs through dis-infestation services to stocks of farmers, traders etc, in their premises/godowns during the period upto 31.01.2018.
• Haryana ranks second in the country in fish productivity per hectare and has been declared as a ‘Fish Disease Free State’ by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. One Hi-tech and Ultra Modern Ornamental Fish Hatchery has been establishment at Govt. Fish Seed Farm, Jhajjar and this will generate employment opportunities for the unemployed youth, fish farmers and women.
• Haryana State Government aims at doubling the farmers' income and to help them in meeting the demand for fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers, milk and milk products, and poultry products in the NCR through Peri-Urban agriculture.The government also intends to make farming more demand-based and profitable through farm leaders in agriculture.They will produce need based crop or commodity. With good agricultural practices - sorting, grading and packaging as per applicable post-harvest techniques, farmers will earn handsome profit by direct marketing.
• Organic farming has a high value/premium market giving high returns to the farmers besides providing healthy nutrition. Sufficient focus is being given to organic farming and sustainable agriculture in the state.
• The government has strengthened market access to the farmers by reducing the intermediaries. Ample space is provided to the farmers and entrepreneurs from agriculture and allied sectors to showcase and market their products with primary focus on growers/producers. The thrust is on making the farmers aware about Electronic Farm Trading.
• To recognize and honour the leaders from agriculture and allied sectors various cash awards and citations are given from time to time to encourage the farmers of the state.
• Technological innovations have taken place in the agri industry and these have begun to take effect in India as well. Today emphasis is being laid on taking technology to the farmers and farmer’s produce direct to the market. The state aims at guiding the farmer and the agri-industry of Haryana towards maximum value creation and to create a direct linkage between farmers and the market.

Conclusion :

An investor-friendly government coupled with transparency, good infrastructure and close proximity to National Capital make Haryana an ideal investment destination for Agro based industries.