Need To Set Up International Nursery Hubs Stressed

New Delhi, Sep 07 There is an urgent need for establishing International Nursery Hubs in different zones of the country on the pattern of Thailand and China.

This was emphasised at a Seminar on Modernisation of Horticulture Nurseries held in the Capital today. The seminar was organised by Indian Nurserymen Association (INA) – a leading non-government organisation of the people engaged in plant nursery business in the country.

The day-long seminar recommended that at the proposed Nursery Hubs there should be spaces for the nursery people to showcase their products including various kinds of plants, plant materials, related nursery products, equipment, services, etc. as well as facilities for export and import, besides hotels and restaurants for international visitors at one place.

Inaugurating the Seminar and an exposition on horticulture – International Horti Expo – the Chief Guest Swamy Chidanand Saraswati, Spiritual Head, Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand laid stress on planting more and more trees to keep the environment healthy. He suggested that when a girl child is born five saplings each of walnut, kiwi, apricot and apple and ten of Chandanbe planted so that when she attains adulthood the trees could become an asset for her. He urged the Uttarakhand government to promote nursery business in their State. “Plantating more and more trees for building healthy environment should become everyone’s business”, he added. He said that since the very survival of human race depends on nature, conservation of natural resources must be our prime concern. He also urged to increase women participation in nursery business to empower them.

Dhan Singh Rawat, Education and Health Minister of Uttarakhand was also present at the occasion. Appreciating the INA’s achievements in promoting nursery business, he said that his government was planning to turn schools in to Green Campuses in Uttarakhand.

Earlier, welcoming the guests and delegates coming from different States, YP Singh, President, INA said that a demand from the INA to set up the international nursery hubs was pending before the Central Government for its favourable consideration. He said that to promote the Indian nursery business at international level it was essential to set up such Nursery Hubs. Singh further requested the Government for a national survey of all kinds of nurseries — hi-tech, low-tech, big, medium, and small — functioning across the country to gather authentic and official data on them. He also requested the Government to set up Smart Plant Nurseries in all the 100 smart cities the Government was developing.

“We request the Union Urban Development Development Ministry to develop and enhance urban horticulture in metropolitan cities and raise public awareness about plants by organising frequent Seminars Workshops, Exhibitions, Melas and festivals focusing various aspects of plants and their importance in creating healthy societies.

Highlighting the achievements of the INA during the last three years, Mr Singh said that despite lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the INA organised 100 webinars on various subjects relating to nursery development and management, tissue culture, landscaping, marketing of plants, horticulture, floriculture, vertical gardens, etc. Besides, it has been publishing its monthly magazine Nursery Today regularly. The INA has also been instrumental in starting a Nursery portal at the Union Agriculture Ministry’s website.

The Union Agriculture Minister inaugurated the Nursery portal last year. It was because of the INA’s advocacy with the Central Government that the accidentally imposed GST on nursery business was withdrawn. Mr Singh added that the INA had also started training programmes in agriculture -horticulture field to entrepreneurs, besides training courses in nursery techniques with a view to developing skilled workers for nursery sector.