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News: How Centre’s Clean Plant Programme plans to boost India’s production of fruits
What is the Clean Plant Programme (CPP)? Discuss the significance of CPP on the Indian horticultural sector and how it will improve farmers income.
The Clean Plant Programme (CPP), which aims to raise the production and yield of horticultural crops in India, has been approved by the Union Cabinet recently.It also aims to raise the standard of fruit crops all throughout the country. The National Horticulture Board and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) will work together to carry out this program.
The Ministry of Agriculture has sought an allocation of Rs 1,765 crore for the programme. One half of this will be sourced from the budget of the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), while the other half will be in the form of a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Significance of CPP:
- The Clean Plant Programme is expected to complement Mission LiFE and One Health while substantially growing India’s horticultural industry. It will lessen reliance on imported planting supplies and encourage environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture methods.
- This initiative would be essential to making India a prominent fruit exporter worldwide and bringing about revolutionary transformation in the industry.
- The programme has three main components geared towards helping farmers obtain virus-free, high-quality planting material (plants used for vegetative propagation) in order to increase crop yields and improve income opportunities. These are:
- Development of nine Clean Plant Centers (CPCs) which will provide disease diagnostics and therapeutics, create mother plants to be sent to nurseries, and quarantine all domestic and imported planting materials intended for commercial propagation and distribution;
- Enhancement of infrastructure, including the development of large-scale nurseries to facilitate the efficient multiplication of clean planting material — the mother plants obtained from the CPCs will be multiplied in nurseries and distributed to farmers;
- Creation of regulatory and certification process to ensure thorough accountability and traceability in the production and sale of planting material.
CPP Benefits farmers:
- The program will guarantee that customers receive excellent, virus-free produce that improves the flavor, look, and nutritional content of fruits.
- By cultivating fruits of superior quality and free from disease, India will solidify its position as the world’s top exporter, opening up new markets and boosting its market share in the global fruit trade.
- The Program will give all farmers, regardless of the size of their landholding or socioeconomic condition, priority access to inexpensive, clean plant material.
- In order to guarantee that women farmers have access to resources, training, and decision-making opportunities, the program will actively involve them in its development and execution.
- The Program will develop clean plant varieties and technologies specific to each area of India, addressing the heterogeneous agroclimatic conditions across the country.
- India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world after China.
- India is also a major importer and exporter of fresh fruits. In the financial year 2023-24, India exported fresh fruits worth $1.15 billion, while it imported fruits worth $2.73 billion. With the rising consumption of fruits in the country, demand has specifically increased for planting materials of foreign apples, and “exotics” such as avocado and blueberry.
At present, the process of importing plants is very cumbersome, with imported plants having to be kept in quarantine for two years. The CPCs will cut this period down to six months, and thus make it easier for farmers to access disease free and genuine planting material for horticultural crops in India.