About Center of Excellence on Vegetables, Vadrad in , Prantij

Gujarat state is a key producer of Onion, Potato, Banana, Mango and Pomegranate in the country. The area under such crops is increasing year after year. Adoption of “Precision Farming Technology” in crops like Banana, Pomegranate, Potato; Onion Capsicum, tomato is the thrust area for ensuring optimum productivity. Supports are being provided for cultivation of vegetables to ensure Nutritional security in the state. Protected cultivation technology provides multifold production of produce with internationally acceptable quality. About 300 ha.of area is covered under Green houses and Net houses in the state for protected cultivation of Dutch Roses, Gerbera, Capsicum, tomato & chives etc. Special drives have been created to boost the protected cultivation in the state through special financial incentives and capacity building support.
Establishment of Post Harvest infrastructure facilities like On-farm pack houses, Grading Sorting lines, integrated pack houses, cold storages, Mango & Banana ripening chambers, cold chain are the key element of the Horticulture Development Program of the Government. Huge investment is being made for establishment of such infrastructures to enhance internal & overseas trade of horticulture commodities.
Looking to the flow of the investment in the horticultural sector in the state, there is needed to enhance the support by increase in the volume of the Developmental program.
There is vast scope of export for some of the produces like, Pomegranate, Banana, Mango, Onion, Cumin. Along with that, there is huge demand for Onion & Potato (grown in the state) under processing sector. There is also a need to give more focus on vegetable production to ensure nutritional security.
The Crop specific centers of excellence for the crops like Onion, Potato, Banana, Mango and Pomegranate is highly required to increase the productivity & Quality by capacity building of the farmers. It is now requirement to establish such crop specific centers of excellence in the state.

There is a acute need of précised production technologies under protected cultivation for various crops to boost these sector. Technical supports are required for…
•Training and Capacity building of extension machinery and farmers
•On Farm Demonstration advisory services for vegetable productivity enhancement.
•Availability of Planting materials for Green house and net house cultivation
•Design and materials for Green house/ Net house Structures
•Transfer of Crop specific production practices
•Machineries for Green house and net houses long with tools and crucial inputs
•Modern on farm Pack houses
•Hands on training for maintenance of structures

Proposed Out come
•Higher productivity, improved quality and efficient input management for vegetable cultivation
•Reduce Post harvest losses and increase
•Adoption of protected cultivation
•Précised cultivation & enhance productivity of vegetable cultivation
•Increase farm income
•High-tech nursery management and Production of quality planting material
•Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) related to production and post harvest management
•Irrigation management (Micro-irrigation and Fertigation)