Haryana wins Best Horticulture State award

Haryana has bagged ‘Best Horticulture State’ award for the concerted efforts made by the state government to increase the income of the farmers in horticulture.
•    The award was received by Haryana Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar on 9 September 2016 at two-day 9th Agricultural Leadership Summit 2016. 
•    The summit was organized by Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) in New Delhi. 
•    At present, about 2.5 lakh hectares of land of the state is under horticulture and a target has been set to increase it up to nine lakh hectares. 
•    For this purpose, the state has decided to set a Horticulture University in the state.
•    It also decided to set up centers of excellence in horticulture in every district of the state and create 340 horticulture villages in the state.
•    In addition, it would also set biggest Horticulture Mandi of the country at Ganaur on the pattern of Rungis Mandi of France and Shenzhen Mandi of China.
•    Besides, the 2016 best agriculture state award went to Odisha. 
•    It was awarded with the award in recognition of the efforts towards development of agriculture and bringing rural prosperity.