Appealing Central Citrus Research Institute to adopt technology-driven solutions, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “India’s citrus production needs to be raised. Some other countries have enhanced the production. I am aware of the efforts of CCRI for the enhancement of the quality of the products and I feel the endeavours it is taking will surely help in the increase of citrus production.” Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who also has the portfolios of Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, visited the ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (ICAR-CCRI), Nagpur on Sunday and chaired a comprehensive review meeting with Director, ICAR-CCRI Dr Dilip Ghosh, Additional Director General (Horticultural Sciences), ICAR Dr V B Patel, along with scientists and staff members of the institute. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, referring to himself as ‘Vaigyaniko ke mitra aur Kisano ke sevak’ commended ICAR-CCRI for its significant role in advancing citrus research and development in the country.

 

He emphasised the need to strengthen the institute’s outreach and collaborative efforts with citrus growers nationwide. Underscoring the importance of citriculture in enhancing farmers’ income, he called for the adoption of technology-driven, farmer-centric solutions to address key challenges in citrus cultivation. Chouhan urged scientists to focus on enhancing productivity, developing export-quality citrus varieties, expanding the production of clean planting material, and promoting value-added utilisation of citrus waste and juice processing. He also encouraged active participation of scientists in the upcoming nationwide Pre-Kharif Campaign under the ‘Viksit Bharat Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan,’ scheduled from May 29 to June 12, 2025. He highlighted that the campaign is aimed at bridging the gap between agricultural scientists and the farming community by addressing grassroots challenges and disseminating innovative technologies to transform Indian agriculture.

 

Dr Ghosh presented a detailed overview of the institute’s recent achievements, ongoing research initiatives, and future strategic roadmap aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. He highlighted ICAR-CCRI’s pivotal contributions in the development of improved citrus varieties, sustainable production technologies, value addition, and capacity-building programs for citrus growers. Five progressive citrus growers from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh were felicitated by the Minister for their outstanding achievements and successful adoption of ICAR-CCRI technologies. Minister had an interactive session with the scientists to discuss key innovation areas and the future roadmap for the citrus sector in line with the objectives of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. The Minister also visited the institute’s citrus nursery, appreciating the efforts in producing high-quality disease-free planting material.