Nagpur: In a major boost to horticulture and climate-resilient farming, the Central Government has selected Nagpur for implementing its ambitious ‘Clean Plant’ Project focused on producing disease-free orange saplings. The initiative is part of a nationwide plan under which nine ‘Clean Plant’ centres will be established across India, with three key projects in Maharashtra—for oranges in Nagpur, grapes in Pune, and pomegranates in Solapur.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the initiative during the valedictory session of the first International Agri Hackathon in Pune on Tuesday. The three Maharashtra centres will be set up at a total cost of Rs 300 crore.
Gold Rate
06 June 2025
Disease-free plants, global-standard nurseries
The project will establish state-of-the-art plant tissue culture nurseries aimed at producing up to 8 crore disease-free planting materials annually. These modern nurseries will help protect fruit crops from climate-induced diseases while boosting both quality and productivity.
Each district will see the creation of:
•Large nurseries with a grant of Rs 3 crore
• Medium-sized nurseries supported with Rs 1.5 crore
“These nurseries will serve as technology hubs and directly support farmers who adopt modern agricultural practices,” said Chouhan. “Our goal is to ensure that Maharashtra’s horticulture can compete globally, and for that, international expertise, especially from Israel and the Netherlands, will be leveraged.”
Bridging the Lab-to-Land divide
Highlighting the urgent need to connect scientific research with on-ground farming, Chouhan said, “Today, farmers have no guarantee that the saplings they buy are disease-free. The Clean Plant Project addresses this gap.” He added that the government’s ‘Lab to Land’ initiative will involve over 16,000 scientists across India working directly with farmers to transfer the latest technologies and research outcomes.
Also present at the event, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis underlined the increasing challenges posed by climate change in agriculture. He advocated for greater adoption of digital tools and innovations coming out of platforms like the Agri Hackathon. “We must incubate these solutions and ensure they reach farmers at scale,” he said.
A new era for Nagpur’s citrus industry
With the implementation of the Clean Plant Project, Nagpur—already known as the Orange Capital of India—is expected to become a national hub for disease-free citrus production, reinforcing its status in the global citrus value chain.
