Chandigarh, September 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday approved the establishment of a Horticulture Knowledge Center at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as part of a Rs 1,300-crore project aimed at accelerating crop diversification and strengthening the state's horticulture sector.
Chairing a meeting to review the Horticulture Department, Mann said the project would focus on expanding high-value horticultural crops, strengthening the sector's value chain and increasing farmers' income. Punjab has set a target of increasing the area under horticulture to 16 lakh hectares by 2036.
“The main motive of the project is to promote horticultural crops through area expansion and stronger value chain infrastructure. It will enhance farmers' income by diversifying into high-value horticultural crops and promote sustainable agricultural practices that improve soil health and conserve water,” Mann said.
The Chief Minister said Punjab currently has a net sown area of 41.25 lakh hectares, of which 5.27 lakh hectares is under horticulture, with total production of 106.10 lakh metric tonnes.
He said fruits, vegetables, spices and aromatics, flowers and other crops constitute the major segments of the state's horticulture sector. Kinnow and guava are among the major fruits, while potatoes and peas are major vegetable crops. Beekeeping and mushroom production are among the other horticulture-related activities in the state.
Mann said the Rs 1,300-crore JICA-supported project would include investments in machinery, infrastructure, marketing, seeds and research, with the aim of increasing the horticulture area to 16 lakh hectares by 2036 — nearly three times the present area.
“The prime focus will be the development of a sustainable horticulture value chain, area expansion and farmer incentives to promote diversification and improvement of nurseries with high-quality planting material,” he said.
The project will also focus on post-harvest management infrastructure, improving market access, strengthening extension services and technical support systems, along with other interventions aimed at strengthening the horticulture ecosystem.
Mann said the proposed Horticulture Knowledge Center at PAU would serve as an important institutional component of the initiative by providing support for research, technical knowledge, capacity building and adoption of improved horticultural practices.
He said the initiative would cover the entire horticulture value chain, from quality planting material and cultivation to post-harvest management, marketing and market access, thereby creating better economic opportunities for farmers while promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Ravi Bhagat, Secretary Agriculture Arshdeep Singh Thind and other senior officials were present at the meeting.