Salhoutuonuo Kruse seeks Centre of Excellence for Horticulture in Nagaland

KOHIMA — Nagaland Minister of Horticulture and Women Resource Development, Salhoutuonuo Kruse, pressed for granting a Centre of Excellence for Horticulture in the state during the National Conference on Agriculture Rabi Campaign 2025 held in New Delhi on September 15 and 16.

According to an update, the conference was themed "One nation, one agriculture, one team”. During her stay in New Delhi, the minister also met with Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Addressing the programme, Kruse said Nagaland has a huge potential for horticultural crops such as kiwi, pineapple, king chilli, sweet cucumber, oranges, apples, avocado, dragon fruit, persimmon, large cardamom, different flowers, mushrooms, and many medicinal herbs. She stated that these crops are mostly grown organically in many places.

She informed that the department is working to make Nagaland "the Kiwi State of India" and thanked the ministry for providing funds for area expansion and post-harvest management. She further requested the ministry to grant a Centre of Excellence to enhance this programme.

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The minister also urged the ministry to grant a separate Centre of Excellence for Floriculture, which is expanding every year in the state. She stated that a separate horticulture college for the state, if granted, could help train young people to take up horticulture as technical courses, thereby furthering the cause of a sustainable economy. She requested the ministry to consider the proposal and grant a horticulture college in the state.

Highlighting that the state receives a significant footfall of tourists every year, Kruse requested the ministry to grant a "State Horti Park" where tourists could witness the rich biodiversity of Nagaland in one place.

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She also pointed out the challenges faced by farmers due to the absence of link roads and requested that more link roads be provided under schemes to enable farmers to supply their products more efficiently.

"This is one area our Farmers are really struggling in, especially in hilly and mountainous regions where everything is done in head loads. These link roads will hasten the supply and demand chain and ease the burden of our Farmers", Kruse said.

The minister further requested the ministry to consider schemes that the state horticulture sector is lacking, including horticultural mechanisation, seed schemes, natural farming schemes, digital agricultural schemes, and agroforestry.

She assured that the state would progress in production with high quality within a short time if the ministry continues to extend support to farmers.

The minister is accompanied by Department of Horticulture Secretary Akumla Chuba and other officials.