Question : DEVELOPMENT OF HORTICULTURE IN NORTH EASTERN REGION

(a) whether the Government is aware about the potentiality of horticulture in the North-Eastern Region;

(b) if so, the steps being taken by the Government to develop horticulture and increase productivity of horticulture crops in the North-Eastern Region;

(c) whether there is any mechanism for better remunerative prices for the horticulturist in the North-Eastern Region;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the funds sanctioned and released by the Government for marketing infrastructure and setting up of horticulture crops processing units in the North-Eastern Region during each of the last three years and the current year?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. The Government is aware of the potential for development of horticulture in North Eastern region. The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, which has subsumed the Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States from 1st April, 2014, provides support for research, on-farm demonstration, setting up of nurseries, tissue culture units, area expansion with improved high yielding varieties, high density planting, capacity building, protected cultivation, rejuvenation of unproductive orchards, organic farming, establishment of market infrastructure, farm mechanization, post harvest management and value addition etc. Horticulture development is also promoted under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and National Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters. The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation has also established a Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH) in Nagaland for providing institutional support for development of horticulture in North Eastern States.

(c) & (d): The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation implements the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for procurement of horticulture commodities which are perishable in nature and are not covered under the Price Support Scheme. The objective of the intervention is to protect the growers of these commodities from making distress sale in the event of bumper crop during the peak arrival period, when the price tend to fall below economic levels and cost of production.
(e): Funds to the tune of Rs.3924.92 lakh for setting up of processing units and Rs. 4060.54 lakh for creation of marketing infrastructure have been released to North Eastern States from 2001-02 to 2013-14 under HMNEH.