Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched on-ground activities for 12 horticulture clusters across India under the National Horticulture Board's (NHB) Cluster Development Programme (CDP), aimed at strengthening agricultural infrastructure, improving market access and increasing farmers' incomes.
The nationwide initiative covers approximately 1.46 lakh hectares and is expected to benefit over 1.3 lakh farmers. The launch took place in Banaskantha, Gujarat, with farmers and stakeholders participating virtually from several locations.
Nashik Investment
Prime Fresh Limited has been appointed implementing agency for the Nashik Peri-Urban Vegetable Cluster, involving an estimated investment of Rs 124 crore.
The project will cover approximately 5,215 hectares and directly benefit around 8,500 farmers through improved infrastructure, technical assistance and market connectivity.
A local event was organised at Nandur Shingote in Nashik district on Friday, following Prime Fresh's grant agreement with NHB on October 15.
Infrastructure Expansion
According to the Detailed Project Report, the Nashik cluster will establish two collection and aggregation centres, one integrated packhouse, 14 farm-gate packhouses and 10 refrigerated vehicles.
The proposed infrastructure includes 6,000 metric tonnes of cold-storage capacity and 3,000 metric tonnes of frozen-storage capacity.
Additional facilities will support vegetable freezing, dehydration, processing and value addition, alongside digital traceability, quality monitoring and farm-management technologies.
Farmer Benefits
The programme aims to reduce post-harvest losses, improve crop-price realisation and provide farmers with better access to organised domestic and international markets.
Prime Fresh will also facilitate training, quality planting material and modern cultivation practices to improve agricultural productivity.
The company plans to expand its network beyond 10,000 hectares and reach more than 11,000 farmers within two years.
Industry Outlook
Hiren Ghelani, Director of Prime Fresh Limited, described the initiative as a significant milestone for India's agricultural ecosystem.
He said modern technology, stronger cold-chain networks and direct market linkages would help improve farmer incomes, minimise wastage and enhance global competitiveness.
The initiative forms part of the government's broader efforts to modernise horticulture supply chains, strengthen rural livelihoods and encourage investment in agricultural infrastructure.
Successful implementation could also improve supply-chain efficiency and create additional opportunities for farmers, processors and agricultural businesses across the Nashik region.
