Chandigarh, Feb 18 (IANS) Punjab Horticulture Minister Mohinder Bhagat on Wednesday said Punjab is set to witness a major positive change in the horticulture sector with a proposed investment of about Rs 1,300 crore, which will help increase farmers’ income and create new opportunities in value addition and exports.

Addressing the media here, the minister said Punjab will adopt successful practices from the Maharashtra horticulture model so that farmers in the state can earn better profits through organised farming, processing and better market linkages.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with Sahyadri Farmers Producer Company Ltd in Maharashtra’s Nashik to strengthen Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in Punjab through training and institutional support.

Bhagat said his visit to Nashik was very useful as the delegation studied how farmers can work together through FPOs to improve production, grading, packaging, processing and exports.

He said Sahyadri is working with thousands of farmers over more than 30,000 acres and exports fruits and vegetables to 42 countries, which shows how collective efforts can bring prosperity to farmers.

The minister said the delegation visited modern packhouses, processing units, research farms and training centres, where they interacted directly with farmers and experts. He said state farmers can benefit from scientific crop planning, better quality control and strong market connections, which were key features of the model studied during the visit.

Talking about the pact, the minister said it would help form strong farmer groups in Punjab, providing training, technology support and guidance so that farmers can benefit from working collectively and get better prices for their produce.

Bhagat reiterated that the state government is fully committed to promoting crop diversification towards horticulture, increasing value addition and creating sustainable income opportunities for farmers, adding that Punjab has the potential to emerge as a leading horticulture hub in the country.

–IANS

vg/vd