Towards Fruitful Independence: India's Path to Agricultural Self-Reliance

In a bid to establish agricultural self-reliance, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan declared that India aims to eliminate imports of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Speaking at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Chouhan emphasized the focus on domestically profitable high-demand crops for farmers.

Chouhan noted significant progress in domestic production, citing avocados as a recent success, and highlighted the need to extend this self-reliance to crops like dragon fruits. The minister directed officials to identify essential fruits for local production, underlining profitability as a key factor.

The minister addressed post-harvest obstacles, stressing the importance of increasing produce shelf life. At an international trade fair, Chouhan elaborated on the strategy to boost farmers' income through value addition and market exploration, lauding Karnataka's achievements in the sector.