Union Ag Minister lays the foundation stone for Indo-Israel Center of Excellence for Vegetables

Seedling production of tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli, cucumber, tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli and exotic vegetables is proposed to be done in the Center of Excellence for Vegetables

 Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, laid the foundation stone of the Indo-Israel Center of Excellence for Vegetables in Chandauli (Uttar Pradesh) through video conferencing.

The technology for the Center is provided by Israeli experts under the India-Israel Action Plan (IIAP) with funds for building infrastructure for demonstration purposes from MIDH. Centers of Excellence (CoEs) are being set up in the States based on Israeli technologies. These Centers of Excellence act as demonstration and training centers for the latest technologies in the field of Horticulture. They also serve as a source of planting material for fruits and vegetables in protected cultivation.

Tomar hoped the establishment of the Indo-Israel Center of Excellence for Vegetables will play an important role in the development of Chandauli district as well as Purvanchal region. “Here seeds and plants of improved vegetables will be cultivated and distributed to the farmers. Farmers can also sponsor the development of plants for themselves. Farmers will get a lot of benefit in increasing the production of vegetables. By using the latest methods of farming, farmers will be able to get better yield and also export vegetables. Nursery of other agricultural produce including vegetables will be prepared at this Centre of excellence to promote the agriculture sector globally. This will not only benefit the farmers here, but will help the district be known globally in the field of vegetables and agriculture,” he said.

Tomar added that it is the intention of the Government that the leading district in the production of paddy and wheat can also emerge better in vegetable production as well. “The climate of Chandauli district, which is known as the rice bowl of UP, is suitable for setting up the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables. There are 9 agro-climatic zones in the State which are favourable for the cultivation of various horticultural crops throughout the year. Seedling production of tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli, cucumber, tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli and exotic vegetables is proposed to be done in the hi-tech climate-controlled greenhouse to be set up in the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables, while cultivation of cucumber, cauliflowers, baby corn, sweet corn and exotic vegetables is proposed in the open field. Along with micro-irrigation in the open, a trial demonstration of farming with fertigation and chemigation systems will be done. There will also be a demonstration of installation of seepage, sprinkler irrigation and other plastic culture applications,” he said.

Seedling production of tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli,