Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, made his inaugural visit to the ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI) in Nagpur on Sunday, marking the first visit by an agriculture minister to the institute in the past decade. The visit underscored the government’s renewed focus on citrus research and development, a sector pivotal to enhancing farmers’ income and promoting agricultural innovation.
During the visit, Chouhan chaired a comprehensive review meeting with top officials, including CCRI Director Dilip Ghosh and ADG (Horticultural Sciences) VB Patel. Scientists and staff members were also present, highlighting the collaborative spirit of the event. Chouhan, referring to himself as “a friend of scientists and a servant of farmers,” lauded CCRI’s significant contributions to citrus research and emphasized the need to bolster the institute’s outreach and collaborative efforts with citrus growers across the country.
The minister’s call for technology-driven, farmer-centric solutions to address challenges in citrus cultivation resonates with the broader goal of modernizing Indian agriculture. He urged scientists to focus on several key areas: enhancing productivity, developing export-quality citrus varieties, expanding the production of clean planting material, and promoting value-added utilization of citrus waste and juice processing. These priorities reflect a strategic approach to boosting the citrus sector’s competitiveness and sustainability.
Chouhan also encouraged scientists to actively participate in the upcoming nationwide Pre-Kharif Campaign under the “Viksit Bharat Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan,” scheduled from 29 May to 12 June 2025. This campaign aims to bridge the gap between agricultural scientists and the farming community, addressing grassroots challenges and disseminating innovative technologies. Such initiatives are crucial for translating research into tangible benefits for farmers, thereby transforming Indian agriculture.
Ghosh presented an overview of CCRI’s recent achievements and ongoing research initiatives, aligning them with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. The institute’s contributions to developing improved citrus varieties, sustainable production technologies, and capacity-building programs for citrus growers were highlighted. These efforts are instrumental in ensuring the long-term growth and resilience of the citrus sector.
As a token of recognition, five progressive citrus growers from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh were felicitated for their outstanding achievements and successful adoption of ICAR-CCRI technologies. This recognition not only celebrates the farmers’ successes but also serves as an inspiration for others to embrace innovative practices.
The visit concluded with an interactive session where Chouhan engaged with scientists to discuss key innovation areas and the future roadmap for the citrus sector. The minister’s tour of the institute’s citrus nursery, where he appreciated the efforts in producing high-quality, disease-free planting material, further emphasized the importance of quality inputs in citrus cultivation.
Chouhan’s visit to CCRI Nagpur signifies a renewed commitment to agricultural innovation and underscores the pivotal role of research institutes in transforming the citrus sector. By fostering collaboration between scientists and farmers, and by promoting technology-driven solutions, this visit marks a significant step towards achieving the objectives of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.