Lucknow, May 8: Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said India must move beyond merely increasing fruit production and focus on quality, shelf life, processing, logistics and export standards to establish a stronger presence in the global fruit market.
Addressing the ‘Fruit Horizon 2026’ conference organised at ICAR–Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture in Lucknow, the minister said agriculture can no longer remain limited to farm-level production alone. He stressed the need to strengthen the entire value chain, including processing, marketing and exports, to improve farmers’ income and global competitiveness.
Interacting with farmers, exporters and horticulture stakeholders, Chouhan said improving fruit quality and ensuring longer shelf life are essential for increasing India’s export potential. He added that production practices must align with international standards to compete effectively in overseas markets.
The Union Minister also announced the formation of a joint task force involving scientific institutions under ICAR, exporters, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority and other agencies. The task force will identify challenges faced by producers and exporters and prepare a time-bound action plan aimed at boosting farmers’ earnings.
Highlighting government initiatives, Chouhan said Uttar Pradesh will benefit significantly under the Clean Planting Material Programme. A modern Clean Plant Centre is being established at CISH, Lucknow, to develop disease-free and genetically pure planting material for crops such as mango, guava, litchi and avocado.
He further emphasized the importance of producing premium-quality fruits with “zero rejection” standards to help India emerge as a global horticulture leader. According to the minister, adoption of modern technologies, better post-harvest management systems, pack houses and export-oriented processing infrastructure will play a crucial role in achieving this goal.
Chouhan also highlighted the role of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) and Self-Help Groups in improving market access for small farmers. He said export-oriented clusters and modern post-harvest infrastructure, especially projects linked to Noida International Airport, would strengthen Uttar Pradesh’s horticulture ecosystem.
Farmers, scientists, exporters, nursery operators, representatives of FPOs and stakeholders from the fruit processing sector attended the conference along with senior officials and ministers from the Uttar Pradesh government.