Further recommends innovation, infrastructure, and market diversification to unlock global potential

A new policy paper by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) outlines a comprehensive roadmap to accelerate India’s horticulture exports through innovation-led growth, enhanced infrastructure, and policy reforms. Titled “Horticultural Innovations to Enhance Exports from India,” the report presents a multi-pronged strategy aimed at improving competitiveness, ensuring sustainability, and expanding India’s footprint in global markets.

Strengthening Breeding and Reducing Import Dependence

The report emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen domestic breeding programmes for horticultural crops that currently rely heavily on imported seeds and planting materials. It calls for focused development of improved varieties and hybrids across a wide range of crops, including vegetables such as coriander, carrot, beetroot, gherkins, and parthenocarpic cucumber; fruits like papaya, apple, walnut, hazelnut, kiwifruit, olive, oil palm, date palm, and blueberry; and floriculture crops such as tulips, lilium, and potted plants.

To reduce recurring royalty burdens and dependence on imports, NAAS recommends introducing a streamlined, one-time licensing mechanism for globally competitive varieties and hybrids, making them more accessible to Indian farmers. The policy also highlights the importance of developing export-oriented varieties tailored to destination markets, factoring in consumer preferences, nutritional value, and shelf life.

Advancing Sustainable and Traceable Production Systems

Aligning with global food safety and sustainability concerns, the report calls for the widespread adoption of Bharat GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) compliance across horticultural crops to improve field-level standards and export readiness. It also advocates the development of standardized production protocols for organic and natural farming, alongside facilitating certification processes for growers.

Strengthening traceability systems across the value chain—covering both conventional and organic produce—is identified as critical to ensuring food safety and sustainability. Additionally, the report recommends developing sea-route export protocols for long-duration shipments of key fruits such as banana, pomegranate, and mango to reduce logistics costs and enhance competitiveness.

Driving Value Addition and Processing for Export Markets

Recognizing the growing global demand for processed and value-added products, NAAS underscores the need to develop crop varieties specifically suited for processing. These include tomatoes for paste and concentrate, onions for dehydrated products, potatoes for chips and French fries, chilli for high oleoresin content, turmeric for high curcumin, and marigold for lutein and zeaxanthin extraction.

The report also highlights opportunities in nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and bioactive compounds derived from horticultural produce, including processing waste and unmarketable fruits. It calls for stronger linkages with the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries to foster innovation and unlock new value streams.

Reforming Pesticide Regulations for Better Crop Protection

To address limited plant protection options in several horticultural segments, the policy paper recommends streamlining pesticide registration and regulation processes. It calls for generating crop-specific data to improve pest management and supporting the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) in evaluating and approving safer agrochemicals.

The adoption of crop grouping approaches is also proposed to harmonize pesticide label claims with international standards such as CODEX, thereby facilitating efficient residue testing and standardization of maximum residue limits (MRLs).

Promoting Cluster-Based Export Development and PPP Models

The report advocates a cluster-based approach to horticulture exports, supported by Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and cooperatives, to enable aggregation and scale. It recommends developing crop-specific export roadmaps for the top 20 horticultural commodities, backed by integrated logistics and institutional support.

Encouraging public–private partnership (PPP) models is seen as key to bridging infrastructure and knowledge gaps. The establishment of procurement and collection centers in major production clusters—similar to organized systems in countries like Taiwan—is proposed to streamline aggregation and exports.

Further, the report calls for targeted training and extension programmes on GAP compliance, pre- and post-harvest management, and export standards, along with financial support mechanisms such as subsidies, low-interest loans, and insurance coverage to accelerate adoption.

Strengthening Infrastructure, Logistics, and Digital Traceability

To reduce post-harvest losses and improve supply chain efficiency, NAAS highlights the need for investment in modern pack-houses, cold storage facilities, refrigerated transport, reefer vans, and cargo infrastructure.

The report also underscores the importance of adopting advanced digital traceability systems, including RFID, artificial intelligence, and blockchain-enabled sensors for monitoring temperature, humidity, and ethylene levels. Integration with national infrastructure initiatives like PM Gati Shakti is recommended to ensure seamless multimodal connectivity and farm-to-market tracking.

Expanding into New Export Markets

To reduce reliance on traditional export destinations, the policy paper calls for the exploration of new and emerging markets. It recommends building a robust national and regional market intelligence system through inter-ministerial collaboration to provide real-time data on demand trends, pricing, consumer preferences, SPS/MRL requirements, and emerging risks.

The report also identifies India’s potential to emerge as a global hub for hybrid seed production, particularly for solanaceous vegetables and cucurbits, and suggests simplifying export policies to boost seed exports.

Additionally, it proposes establishing a national framework for organic seed production and certification aligned with international standards such as those of the EU and USA, enabling India to tap into the growing global demand for organic seeds.

To enhance visibility, NAAS recommends showcasing high-value and niche horticultural products—such as pomegranate, litchi, jamun, mangosteen, guava, okra, bitter gourd, drumstick, fox nut, and value-added products from jackfruit, bael, tamarind, and aonla—at international trade fairs.

Outlook

The NAAS policy paper presents a forward-looking blueprint to transform India’s horticulture sector into a globally competitive, innovation-driven export powerhouse. By integrating scientific advancements, policy reforms, infrastructure development, and market intelligence, the recommendations aim to unlock new growth opportunities while ensuring sustainability, farmer prosperity, and resilience across the value chain.