Bengaluru: Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Sunday asked scientists to focus on extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, saying this was critical to improving farmer incomes.During a visit to the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) here, Chouhan reviewed new varieties of horticultural crops and interacted with heads of other Bengaluru-based institutes functioning under the Indian Council for Agricultural Research. We are already becoming self-reliant in some fruits like dragon fruit," he said.He asked IIHR scientists to assess market demand before promoting specific crops and to encourage cultivation of varieties that have better commercial prospects.Chouhan also proposed organising a national brainstorming meet on horticulture in Bengaluru. Manikanta, a tuberose grower from Doddaballapur taluk, requested that the IIHR-bred Arka Prajwal variety be made more widely available as it gives yield throughout the year and has helped stabilise his income.Another participant, Varun Kashyap, who runs a startup working on precision beehives, sought govt support to build a structured value chain for beekeeping similar to the dairy sector.
Author: TNN
Published at: 2026-02-08 22:28:00
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