Lok Sabha Question No. 350 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-26
Subject: Centre of Excellence for Fruits and Vegetables
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, ANANDRAO  ADSUL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 350 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 26 TH  APRIL, 2016

## CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

350.    SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO: SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Union  Government  has  prepared  a  scheme  for  commercialisation  of centres of excellence for fruits and vegetables to improve economic conditions of farmers;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether all the mandis across the country has been provided with internet connectivity;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Union Government has signed any agreement with the Government of Israel for establishing a centre of excellence for fruits in the country; and
- (f) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  extent  to which the Indian farmers are likely to be benefited by this agreement?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्राऱय में राज्य मंत्री (SHRI  MOHANBHAI  KUNDARIYA)

- (a) & (b): Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare is implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) which includes the component of Centre of Excellence.  The Centre of Excellence can be established for different  horticulture  crops  to  serve  as  demonstration  and  training  centres  as  well  as source of planting material for fruits and vegetables.  For establishment of these centres in  public sector 100% assistance to the maximum cost of Rs.10.00 crore per centre is available.    These  centres  of  Excellences  can  be  established  through  bi-lateral  cooperation also.
- (c) & (d): Under  Market  Research  and  Information  Network  (MRIN)  scheme  of Department,  data  on  arrivals  and  prices  of  notified  agriculture  produce  in  wholesale regulated markets is disseminated though ag-mark net portal.  Under the scheme, since inception till  end  of  XI  Plan  Internet  connectivity  was  provided  to  3245  APMC/Centres however, under the XII Plan the APMCs have to make their own arrangements.  As on date  of  the  total  6746  mandis  data  on  arrival  and  prices  of  agriculture  commodities  is being reported by more than 2700 APMC markets.

Further,  under  the  National  Agriculture  Market  (NAM)  scheme  it  is  proposed  to integrated 585 regulated markets across the country to a common e-platform for online trading  of  notified  agri-commodities  by  March,  2018.    Apart  from  hosting  the  NAM software on NIC Cloud, the Government will provide the software free of cost and a grant of up to Rs.30 lakhs per mandi for hardware including Internet connectivity.  The NAM Portal  has  been  launched on  14.04.2016  in  21  mandis  of  08  States  for  online  trading across the country for trading in 25 commodities.

(e) & (f): An Indo-Israel agriculture work plan was signed in 2006 wherein a number of  areas  for  cooperation  were  identified.  As  part  of  this  work  plan,  an  Indo  -  Israel Agriculture  Action  Plan  was  initiated  during  2008-10  which  was  first  extended  for implementation till 2015 and subsequently till 2018.  Under this Action Plan technology is being transferred through visits of Israeli experts to India, training of Indian field officers in  Israel  and  establishment  of  Centres  of  Excellence  for  various  crops  like  fruits, vegetables  and  flowers  in  different  states.    These  Centres  of  Excellence  act  as demonstration  and  training  centres  for  field  staff  and  farmers  as  well  as  source  of planting material of fruits and vegetables for the benefit of farmers.

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