In a significant move aimed at strengthening the agricultural sector, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the establishment of nine Clean Plant Production Centers across the country. These centers will focus on producing disease-free, high-quality seedlings to address a major challenge faced by farmers—lack of access to healthy planting material.
Of the nine proposed centers, three will be located in Maharashtra, specifically in Pune, Nagpur, and Solapur. According to Minister Chouhan, these facilities will cater to region-specific crops: grapes in Pune, oranges in Nagpur, and pomegranates in Solapur.
The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the first International Agriculture Hackathon held in Pune. The event was attended by several prominent leaders, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, Horticulture Minister Bharat Gogavale, and Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department Vikas Chandra Rastogi.
Chouhan emphasized that inspections and field visits revealed a serious shortfall in the availability of disease-free seedlings, which has led to reduced crop yields and increased costs for farmers. To address this, the central government has sanctioned ₹300 crore for the initiative.
“These centers will make quality, disease-resistant seedlings easily available to farmers, improving productivity and strengthening their economic stability,” Chouhan said. “This initiative will also integrate modern agricultural technologies, promote innovation, and encourage the youth to engage in farming.”