Chouhan asks southern states to tap horticulture and export potential

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has called on southern states to make greater use of their horticulture and export potential, pitching region-specific agricultural planning as a route to stronger farm incomes.

Speaking on the need for closer coordination between the Centre and the states, Chouhan said agricultural strategies should be tailored to local conditions rather than applied uniformly across the country. Such an approach, he argued, would help farmers move beyond staple crops and capture value in high-demand segments.

The minister identified horticulture and exports as two areas where the southern states are particularly well placed. Diversifying crop patterns, he said, would both raise returns for cultivators and reinforce the country's food and nutrition security.

Chouhan stressed that the Centre and states must work in tandem if these goals are to be met, describing cooperative federalism in agriculture as essential to translating policy into outcomes at the farm level.

The remarks place crop diversification and market access at the centre of the government's farm-income agenda, with the southern region seen as a key contributor to both domestic supply and overseas trade.