HORTICULTURE HAS IMMENSE POTENTIAL TO REVOLUTIONIZE AGRICULTURE

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Cover Story Technical Session 1 The topic of the 1st session, moderated by S. Jafar Naqvi, was “Post FDI scenario and its impact on Fresh Produce Sector in India”. The session saw some extremely valuable outcomes through the thoughtful presence of highly experienced personalities such as Vijay Sardana, Director-ARPL India and Head of Food Security Initiatives and Agribusinesses, and D. P. Singh, Zonal Director, NHB. Sardana spoke extensively and convincingly about the concerns of private sector and why it is not investing in cold chain. He appeared blunt but it was okay if looked business-wise. Talking about the government’s complaint that private sector is not coming forward to invest in cold chain, he said, “A businessman will never invest in any project unless and until he sees a business sense in it. He cannot throw away his hard-earned money to just help the government and farmers. Yes, he will help, but he should also be remove many taxes and provide a Allaying the fears of small traders about FDI in multi-brand retail, he said FDI will not hurt small traders as what small traders can serve to consumers will never be copied by big retailers. For example, big retailers cannot deliver groceries on credit, and will not know the taste and other local factors that small traders do. Consumers will not drive 10 km to buy things from a Wal-Mart store. D. P. Singh said that production of disease-free and quality fruits and vegetables is the responsibility of all stakeholders like NHM, NHB, NGOs and farmers. “To achieve this we have to change our mindset.” He also praised Sikkim for becoming India’s only organic state. He also informed Bagwani Train (Which he also explained to Haroon Yusuf at his stall). It runs between Bhusawal to Delhi and brings bananas etc, thus saving the losses. Technical Session 2 The 2nd technical session was based on the topic “Emerging Trends in Cold Chain Developments & Bottle-necks to be addressed”. The session was chaired CrossTree, & Chief Adviser, National Cold Chain Development (NCCD), and included panelists: T S Viswanath, Principal Adviser – APJ-SLG Law Healthy Enterprises Ltd., and Dr. Babita Singh, Professor – Horticulture, Amity University. Viswanath focused his speech on solutions instead of talking just about bottlenecks. He suggested that India should look towards other countries and see how they have developed feasible cold chain and the way they are run. “What we need is export-worthy infrastructure”. “PM himself is very concerned about the wastage (30-40%) and this must be minimized by better infrastructure. We also need different types of cold chains for different segments. And we should not talk about problems but solutions. We need to create a sub-group to do research and offer the government realtime information and ground realities and suggest doable policies”. Dr Babita Singh made a presentation about cold chain development and expressed her ideas to strengthen the segment to avoid wastage. P. Alli Rani, who came late and was almost panting while speaking as she was not allowed to relax as time was running out, lamented Rs. 50 crore loss in her company’s bill book this FY as 50% cold stores lay empty. Bemoaning several lacunae in the sector, she said, “It is unfortunate as we do not have real time information system. Our company does not know what farmers want. There is lack of connect. Apart from this, secrecy in pricing is another evil that hampers the smooth functioning of the segment. Chairman also made an angry presentation and asked the people of segment not to make presentations containing just graphs and tables. It is for school children, he said. “There is chain. Since it is vital to provide a pipe stakeholders should cooperate. We do have excellent infrastructure in icecream, dairy, meat. The bottlenecks are not in infrastructure but in managing and planning. And we need such cold chains that can accommodate multiple kinds of produce.” AgriBusiness & Food Industry February 2013 17
Cover Story in horticulture. He also said, “We are as fragmented farm-wise as the rest of India. Due to hilly region and small size of land, we are facing certain problems. We also need 2.4 crore plants each year. Our focus is on new varieties, pollination, micronutrients, and organic fruit production.” According to him poor monitoring is a failure in his state. Pollination is also an issue, he added. Saleem also answered good questions raised by Bharat Bhojane of Rise N Shine, Dr A P Singh, Former Floriculture Consultant to Government of India, and M B Naqvi, CEO, Media Today Group. Calling Sikkim “Nature’s Own proud to mention that Sikkim will be fully organic by 2015. Calling his state “Biodiversity hot-spot of the country”, he said it would be good to tell that the mother plant of Cymbidium was taken to EU from Sikkim, and it is the only state in the country that grows it commercially. He also invited everyone to Sikkim International Flower Show that will be held in February. Technical Session 4 The topic of this session was “Emerging Trends in Flower and Ornamental Plants”. It was chaired by Dr. A.P.S. Gill, Former Floriculture Consultant to Government of India. The panelists were Michael Mendonca, CAO, Rise N Shine Group, who spoke on Innovative Calling the various unending discussions here and there, now and then as “Technology Babel”, he asked for a synergy in all steps. Technical Session 3 The topic of the 3rd session was “Emerging States in Horticulture and Floriculture”. The speakers were M. Saleem Shishgar, Director (Horticulture.), Saini, Horticulture Department, Haryana, and R. Suresh, Horticulture Department, Agriculture, Government of Sikkim. Arjun Singh Saini made a presentation about the horticulture in Haryana, elaborating how Haryana is aggressively helping farmers to use technology like polyhouse for greater income and productivity. He also told that Haryana amended APMC Act to help private sector to establish infrastructure. R. Suresh also made presentation about the unique qualities of horticulture and the farmers grow almost all kinds of state, and more will be coming soon. follows export demands such as W<strong>TO</strong> regime compliance, and is committed to produce quality and clean fruits and is the centre of 40% A-grade dry fruits and around 6 lakh farmers are engaged Friendship Society (Emerging Trends in Floral design market in India), Dr. H. P. Sumangala, Scientist, IIHR-Bangalore (Landscaping & Ornamental Plants), and Capt Suresh Sharma (Visibility of Indian Floriculture through Photo art). Mendonca made an angry presentation lambasting horticulture agencies and private players for not showing interest of the ongoing projects that either totally to it. His sweating face in winter added impact to his voice of grievances. stakeholders to “keep as local as possible and as global as necessary”. He sought supply chains, collaborative approach and Mumbai’s dabbawalah-type consortium to strengthen the segment. “piggyback approach must stop,” he said. He profusely praised the Netherlands for 18 AgriBusiness & Food Industry February 2013
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HORTICULTURE HAS IMMENSE POTENTIAL TO REVOLUTIONIZE AGRICULTURE

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