Andhra Pradesh Plans Global Horticulture Hub to Promote Horticultural Development

Andhra Pradesh is set to develop a Global Horticulture Hub (GHH) at Madanapalle in Annamayya district, aimed at accelerating horticultural growth across the drought-prone Rayalaseema region. The project, supported by the Centre and private investment, will promote technology-driven farming and expand the state’s horticulture footprint.

The foundation stone for the GHH was laid on Friday by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu along with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, HRD Minister Nara Lokesh and Reliance Industries Executive Director Anant Ambani.

As part of the initiative, Reliance Industries has also announced the establishment of an Indian School of Agriculture (ISA). Envisioned on the lines of the Indian School of Business, the institute is proposed as a premier agricultural institution focused on advanced technologies, artificial intelligence and their application in agriculture and horticulture.

The GHH is expected to attract an estimated Rs 1 lakh crore through a combination of government support and private investment. The Centre is expected to provide Rs 40,000 crore, while the remaining Rs 60,000 crore will come from private investment. The project will cover eight districts of Rayalaseema and is intended to raise the region’s gross value added through horticulture.

Naidu said the project would seek to strengthen the entire agricultural value chain, from seed development to market and export linkages. This, he said, would give farmers opportunities to diversify into crops such as apples, strawberries, dates and avocados while creating more sustainable income opportunities.

The state government plans to increase the area under horticultural crops from the current 8.4 lakh hectares to 14.4 lakh hectares.

Anant Ambani said Reliance Industries was keen to contribute to Andhra Pradesh’s development and sought the chief minister’s guidance in expanding its contribution to the state.

Sitharaman said the Centre and state were working together to establish Andhra Pradesh as a major horticultural centre. She highlighted government support for farm investments through Kisan Credit Cards and PM-KISAN.

She also pointed to efforts to make agriculture more resilient to climate risks, including the promotion of climate-resilient crop varieties and solar-powered irrigation pumps under schemes such as PM-KUSUM.