Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) is now on an aggressive mode to display its novel technologies and products. In this regard, it is playing host to the National Horticulture Fair (NHF) 2023 at its location in Hessarghatta in Bengaluru. The event will be held between February 22 and February 25, 2023.
Titled as Innovative Horticulture for Self-Reliance, the event is positioned to woo buyers and sellers from across the country. This is in sync with the Union government's Production Linked Incentive scheme to increase employment opportunities of off-farm jobs and ensuring remunerative prices of farm produce and higher income to farmers.
The four-day event will provide an in-depth understanding on the vegetable and medicinal crop varieties for import substitution. It will provide a peek into pollination for protected cultivation. It will detail on the leaf curl virus disease for which IIHR has ample research findings. There is focus on the carotenoid content rich marigold varieties. There is increased attention to flower wastage utilisation. Further it will encourage terrace gardening solutions for urban horticulture, production technologies for horticulture fruits, specifically Kamalam and avocado. Besides, there will be solutions for the farmers and other nurseries on the access to cost-effective traps for the management of invasive pests which is bane to an agriculturalist.
There is an expansive exhibition area and the profile of the participants includes those dealing with seeds and planting materials, plant nutrients, plant protection chemicals, green poly-house, garden accessories.
There will also be displays of FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations), SHGs (Self Help Groups) and FIGs (Farmer Interest Groups).
In addition, the presence of government, non-governmental organisations, corporate and financial bodies will give a broader perspective of support and assistance to the fair where business visitors will have a wider access to services for decision-making.
There are ICAR-AITC services and products, marketing agencies and functionaries, business incubation centres, food processing, irrigation systems and agriculture export services.
Workshops and seminars will create a better awareness on the novel technologies. It will educate the prospective users and provide a chance to interact with experts in the field. They will be discussing the viability of relevant of the particular technologies in and access to the latest information and new skills related to the concerned processes.