Uttar Pradesh Bolsters Farming Future with Centres of Excellence backed by international expertise
1
2
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh is heading to cement its place as a hub for cutting-edge agriculture practices and currently ranks second in India for Centres of Excellence (CoEs) powered by Indo-Israel-Dutch technology, said Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Horticulture, Dinesh Pratap Singh.
Centers, located in Mirzapur, Bundelkhand, and Barabanki, are focusing on dragon fruit, citrus fruits, and flower-vegetable cultivation with the help of new techniques and international expertise to rural heartlands.
In Jhansi's Barua Sagar, the CoE for citrus is gearing up at the Horticulture and Training Center. "Israeli experts, under the Indo-Israel project, are bringing their world-renowned knowledge to guide farmers in growing limes, lemons, kinnows, and grapefruits.
This marks another milestone for Uttar Pradesh, which already ranks second in India for CoE built with Indo-Israel technology," said minister Dinesh Pratap Singh.
While in Barabanki's Sonikpur village, nestled in the Trivediganj development block of Haidergarh tehsil, the first-ever Indo-Dutch CoE for vegetables and flowers is taking shape. Experts from the Netherlands have already visited, their boots crunching on the soil as they surveyed the site, sharing know-how on advanced cultivation methods.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning...
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Click Here
Undo
Similarly, in Mirzapur's Deori-Kala village, the CoE for Dragon fruit is being set up at a government farm in Marihan tehsil. The Indian Horticultural Research Institute in Bangalore and Agricultural University in Kota, Rajasthan, are lending their expertise to introduce farmers to the exotic, vibrant dragon fruit and even dates. The center will showcase everything from planting to harvesting, helping farmers diversify and tap into growing markets for these high-value crops.
"These centers aren't just fields and greenhouses—they're hubs of learning. Each one offers demonstrations and training on the latest crop varieties and techniques, from production to market. Farmers can walk through, see modern methods in action, and adopt them to boost productivity, diversify crops, and replace outdated practices with profitable ones," added minister.
The state's existing CoEs—located in Basti (fruits and vegetables), Kannauj (vegetables), Saharanpur (fruits and vegetables), and Alambagh, Lucknow (ornamental plants)—have already set benchmarks.
The six upcoming centers will specialize in fruits (Kaushambi), vegetables (Chandauli), honey (Saharanpur and Rae Bareli), and aeroponics potatoes (Hapur and Kushinagar), further expanding the state's agricultural portfolio.
The Horticulture Department's achievements extend beyond CoEs. In 2022, it produced 76 lakh quality saplings in government nurseries. Now, with 150 hi-tech nurseries, the state aims to churn out 28 crore saplings annually—a 30-fold capacity increase in three years.
An International Potato Research Center in Agra is also in the works, promising to elevate potato farming with global standards.
Mango farmers, a backbone of Uttar Pradesh's economy, are set to benefit from innovative practices. "We're using paper bags to protect mangoes from chemicals and insects, ensuring premium quality for export," Singh explained. A planned Integrated Testing Treatment Park near Jewar will test and treat produce to meet international standards, opening markets worldwide.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
10 million tourists picked this Asian paradise over Thailand in 2025
Malaysia received 10.1 million foreign arrivals in the first quarter of this year, making it the most visited country in Southeast Asia, thanks to its visa relaxation policies. According to a report by VN Express, Thailand , which held the champion title for years, was second with 9.55 million, followed by Vietnam (six million) and Singapore (4.31 million), according to official data. Malaysia recently announced the extension of visa exemption for Indian travelers until 2026. The exemption allows Indian nationals to visit Malaysia without a visa for up to 30 days. A similar exemption has been granted to Chinese nationals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: 1 simple trick to get all TV channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo ALSO READ: Malaysia extends visa exemption for Indian nationals (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Malaysia is also becoming an increasingly popular study-abroad destination for international students, thanks to its highly ranked universities, affordable tuition fees and relatively low cost of living. Live Events Malaysia boasts eight universities ranked among the top 500 in the 2025 QS World University Rankings. Moreover, the country offers a highly affordable lifestyle compared to other leading study-abroad destinations. For example, Malaysia has been estimated to be two-thirds less expensive to live in than the US and half as expensive as Canada and Ireland. ALSO READ: This country with top universities and low tuition fees has become the new hotspot for international students In addition to this, annual tuition for an undergraduate degree is on average US$6,000, as per an ICEF Monitor report. In 2023, all of Malaysia's Top 10 markets were in Asia and Africa. India emerged as one of Malaysia's key source markets for international students, ranking fifth among the top contributors that year. Indian students submitted 1,900 applications, marking an 18% increase compared to 2022. This highlights the growing appeal of Malaysia as a study-abroad destination for Indian students. ALSO READ: Indians spoilt for choice as nations roll out easy visas As per the ICEF report, the Malaysian government has adopted a selective approach to post-study work policies for international students. In the previous year, students from 23 countries, including Australia, the US, the UK, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Switzerland, and Finland, became eligible for the 12-month Graduate Pass. These countries are not major sources of international students in Malaysia but were chosen to promote two-way internationalisation with nations hosting significant numbers of Malaysian students.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Indonesia reviews nickel mining in 'last paradise' after outcry
And Swedish EV company Polestar last year said it would seek to avoid compromising "uncontacted tribes" in its supply chain. Indonesia will review nickel mining in a region known as the "world's last paradise" and could take legal action, the environment minister said, after Greenpeace videos sparked public outcry about potential damage. The eastern archipelago of Raja Ampat in Southwest Papua Province sits in the Coral Triangle and is thought to be one of the world's most pristine reef areas, with its clear blue waters making it a popular diving spot. Greenpeace Indonesia ignited social media uproar this week with several videos highlighting nickel mining projects in the area, with one amassing 13 million views on Instagram. Indonesia has the world's biggest nickel reserves and is the biggest producer of the metal used in electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel. However, environmentalists say its rush to capitalise on supply and boost processing is causing irreparable damage to land around mines and smelters. The outcry over potential damage to the area drew a reaction from the government, with the energy ministry suspending operations at a nickel mine on one of Raja Ampat's islands pending an inspection. Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said he would visit the area and vowed to punish mining firms there. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "We will immediately take legal action related to activities in Raja Ampat, after going through our studies," Hanif said on Thursday, according to Indonesian media. Nickel exploitation on the islands of Gag, Kawe and Manuran has led to the destruction of more than 500 hectares of forest and vegetation, according to a Greenpeace Indonesia analysis. They are categorised as small islands that under Indonesian law should be off-limits to mining, the environmentalist group said. The government's response has raised hopes that spreading awareness was helping to protect Raja Ampat, Greenpeace Indonesia forest campaign team leader Arie Rompas told AFP on Friday. "We are happy because there are some actions that the government could take. We are pushing the right button with this campaign," he said. Arie said he hoped the public would carry on supporting Greenpeace's campaign until the government revoked all mining licences and until Raja Ampat is "truly protected".
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Indian EV Industry being hurt by additional restrictions on rare earth minerals by China: Jefferies
The EV companies in the country is already facing heat with China's supply restrictions on the rare earth metals, according to a report by Jefferies. The Jefferies report highlighted that several Indian companies are struggling to import magnets from China, which are crucial components in the production of EV motors. The report warned that once the current stock of these magnets runs out, motor production could be severely affected, putting the entire supply chain at risk . Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dukung Orang Terkasih Menghadapi Limfoma: Mulai Di Sini Limfoma Baca Undo It said "Based on our conversations with Indian companies, industry is facing a challenge in importing magnets from China and EV motor production could be at risk once the existing magnet inventories get exhausted". Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) too have echoed the sentiment and in its monthly vehicle data release on Friday said "Global supply-chain headwinds (rare-earth constraints in EV components, geopolitical tensions) may limit urban consumer sentiment and exert cost pressure." Live Events To deal with the situation, companies are considering importing fully assembled motors from China. However, this option comes with challenges. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) would have to make major changes in their supply chains. Additionally, vehicles might require fresh homologation approvals to meet Indian standards. This shift could also lead to a drop in domestic value addition, which is essential to qualify for the government's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. China had earlier, on April 4, imposed export controls on six heavy rare earth elements (REEs) and rare earth magnets. The country cited reasons like national security and international obligations such as non-proliferation. Although these curbs are not a complete ban on exports for the auto sector, companies must now seek prior government approval before shipping these materials out of China. This adds uncertainty and delay in the supply process. The report also mentioned that the Indian government is aware of the growing risks. According to a Reuters report on Friday, India is in discussions with various companies to build long-term stockpiles of rare earth magnets. As part of this plan, Indian government is likely to offer fiscal incentives to promote domestic production of these crucial components. Contrary to their name, rare earth elements, especially the lighter ones, are not actually rare in the Earth's crust. But they are spread out in low concentrations, which makes extraction and processing difficult. The global supply chain for these elements is heavily dependent on China, which currently accounts for about 70 per cent of the world's mined REEs and roughly 90 per cent of refined production. China also produces nearly 90 per cent of the world's rare earth magnets, especially the heavy rare earths. With China now increasing its restrictions even further, the supply chain could face more disruptions in the coming months, posing a serious threat to India's EV sector.
