The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Clean Plant Programme (CPP) with an investment of Rs. 1,765.67 crore, aimed at transforming India’s horticulture sector. This initiative will establish nine state-of-the-art Clean Plant Centres across the country to produce virus-free planting material for fruit crops. These centres, located in regions such as Pune, Srinagar, Nagpur, and Bengaluru, will focus on various fruits, including grapes, apples, citrus fruits, mangoes, and pomegranates.
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The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Clean Plant Programme (CPP) recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. This pioneering programme, which has received a huge investment of Rs 1,765.67 crore, is expected to transform India’s horticultural sector.
It is expected to establish new benchmarks for excellence and sustainability. The CPP, announced earlier in the Finance Minister’s Budget Speech in February 2023, is a significant step forward in improving the quality and productivity of fruit harvests across the country.
Nine world-class state-of-the-art Clean Plant Centres (CPCs) would be created around India, each with modern diagnostic treatments and tissue culture labs. Grapes (NRC, Pune), Temperate Fruits (CITH, Srinagar & Mukteshwar), Citrus Fruits (CCRI, Nagpur & CIAH, Bikaner), Mango/Guava/Avacado (IIHR, Bangaluru), Mango/Guava/Litchi (CISH, Lucknow), Pomegranate (NRC, Sholapur), and Tropical/Subtropical Fruits in Eastern India. These facilities will play an important role in creating and maintaining virus-free planting material for broader propagation.
Large-scale nurseries will receive assistance with infrastructure development, allowing for the efficient multiplication of clean planting material. To ensure complete responsibility and traceability in the production and sale of planting materials, a rigorous certification system will be created, supported by a regulatory framework under the Seeds Act 1966.
The Clean Plant Programme is expected to dramatically increase India’s horticultural sector while also supporting Mission LIFE and the One Health objectives. It will promote sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture methods while reducing reliance on imported planting supplies. This plan will be a critical step towards establishing India as a prominent global fruit exporter and creating transformative change in the industry. The National Horticulture Board will administer this plan in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
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