Summing up, the entire gamut of vegetable production has varied ramifications and vegetable farming is no longer a subsistence farming as in the beginning of this century. Now it has become a highly specialized commercial venture. In the next century, the country will feel the pressure of the burgeoning middle income segment. The vegetable production and the goals for the next century should include significant improvement in productivity and upgradation of quality characters of vegetable crops. We step into the next century with the following agenda, to achieve these goals.
1. Data-base of reliable statistics on vegetable crops, on area, production, productivity and seed production (with periodical updating) should be established to help perspective planning of production, utilization and exports. Six vegetables may be taken up in the first instance, by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics and Ministry of Agriculture.
2. Establishment of a Vegetable Technology Mission by the government of India to provide one nodal agency to take care of multifarious aspects of production, marketing and utilization of vegetable crops and ensure coordinated efforts to boost vegetable production and consumption. This is particularly necessary to correct the trend of rising urban consumption and the rural population suffering from mineral/vitamin deficiency disorders.
3. A national Seed Policy has to be formulated to promote healthy development of both private and public seed sectors to meet the challenges of globalization and WTO regimes. The existing seed multiplication and seed delivery system needs to be strengthened and efficiently operated to ensure successful, economic and dependable supply of quality seeds.
4. Efficient use of genetic engineering and molecular biology in the development of new varieties with disease and pest resistance and quality characters in vegetable crops, has to be properly planned and vigorously executed, selectively choosing the problems and the centres and ensuring time bound completion.
5. All the efforts, resources and funds spent for increased production should not be frittered away through post harvest losses. Efficient technology, mechanism and services have to be developed to reduce the post harvest losses on a priority basis and ensure equitable availability and distribution of vegetables. The country’s healthy foods in the next century would include significant quantities of quality vegetables.
Ag.
Technologies
(Hi-Tech
Agriculture)
