Clean Plant Programme Update: Advancing Disease-Free Horticulture through Certified Material and New Centers
SDG 2: Zero Hunger | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Institutions: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
The Clean Plant Programme (CPP), approved by the Union Cabinet on 9 August 2024, is now scaling up to provide farmers access to high-quality, virus-free planting material across key fruit and horticulture crops. The NHB is the executing agency, working closely with ICAR for technical oversight, capacity building, and R&D support. The CPP was conceptualized in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to ensure international technical standards and institutional support.
Key components include the establishment of nine Clean Plant Centers (CPCs) nationwide, state-of-the-art nurseries and multiplication hubs, certification systems under the Seeds Act, and support for private nurseries (large, medium) via matching grants. In Maharashtra alone, three CPCs are being planned in Pune (grapes), Nagpur (oranges), and Solapur (pomegranates), with a total allocation of βΉ300 crore for these units. The scheme envisages that 8 crore disease-free seedlings will be made available annually to farmers via these networks.
Thus far, the programme has moved beyond the conceptual stage into pilot phases, initiating CPC designs, grant guidelines, and nursery tie-ups. It signals a shift from fragmented propagation to a coordinated, certified supply chain for horticultural planting stock.
At a sectoral level, CPP addresses a fundamental constraint-unreliable planting material-that often caps yield potential, increases crop vulnerability, and undermines farmer returns. Ensuring clean plant inputs helps reduce pest/disease spread, stabilizes production, and strengthens value chains from farm to export markets.
However, scaling this across India requires careful attention to equity, biodiversity, and local adaptation. Overcentralised CPCs may disadvantage remote regions. Moreover, introducing certified planting materials should not crowd out local landraces or adaptive varieties. Ensuring ecological compatibility, traceability, and equitable access (especially for small and marginal farmers) will be key trade-offs to manages.
Relevant question for policy stakeholders: How can the Clean Plant Programmeβs disease-free material distribution model be scaled to include more crops and ensure equitable benefits for smallholders nationwide?
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https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2169147