Overview
- Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced Thursday at a national conference in Karnal that the state will introduce master's and PhD programmes in areas such as post‑harvest management, plant pest control and plant diseases.
- Saini dedicated 14 new Horticulture Science Centres to Maharana Pratap Horticulture University to deliver modern technologies, quality planting material and on‑farm scientific guidance to farmers.
- The government set targets to double the horticulture sector and triple production by 2030 and fixed protected prices for 21 horticultural crops under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana.
- Officials proposed several follow‑up measures that are still in planning, including a Cold Chain Policy, a Haryana Potato Seed Act to certify tissue‑culture seed potatoes, year‑round crop registration on the Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal from 2026–27 and pilot Rural Haat Mandis linked to FPO pack houses.
- The push builds on Haryana's existing network of centres of excellence and responds to wider losses from poor storage and planting material in India, where annual fruit and vegetable output exceeds 360 million tonnes but suffers major post‑harvest and quality shortfalls that limit farmer returns.