**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to questions regarding the restructuring of the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) and the implementation of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS). It clarifies that the NHM was restructured under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and subsequently again in 2025. The government is currently implementing the MIS to protect farmers from distress sales by providing remunerative prices for certain commodities. The response was prepared for answer on February 10th, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Horticulture Mission (NHM) Restructuring:**
* The NHM was launched in 2004-05 to develop the horticulture sector.
* It was restructured and subsumed under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) in 2014-15.
* The MIDH scheme was further restructured in 2025 with revised operational guidelines.
* This covers all districts in the country, enhancing cost norms, incorporating high-value crops, and promoting innovative technologies.
* **Market Intervention Scheme (MIS):**
* The MIS is being implemented for the procurement of agriculture and horticulture commodities.
* It aims to provide remunerative prices to farmers for perishable commodities not covered under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime.
* The objective is to protect farmers from distress sales during bumper crop arrivals.
* New components of Price Differential Payment (PDP) have been added, allowing for direct payment of the price difference between Market Intervention Price (MIP) and the selling price.
* Reimbursement for transportation and storage costs of TOP crops (Tomato, Onion, and Potato) is provided.
* Payments under MIS are made directly to the bank accounts of registered farmers.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Farmers**
* **Impact:** Farmers benefit from the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), which provides remunerative prices for their produce, especially perishable commodities, and protects them from distress sales during periods of high production. The Price Differential Payment (PDP) mechanism ensures they receive a fair price for their crops.
* **Action Required:** Farmers need to register to ensure MIS payments can be made directly to their bank accounts.
**Stakeholder: Central Nodal Agencies & State Designated Agencies**
* **Impact:** These agencies play a role in storing and transporting TOP crops (Tomato, Onion and Potato). They receive reimbursement for transportation and storage cost.
* **Action Required:** Ensure efficient storage and transportation of TOP crops to manage supply and stabilise prices.
**Stakeholder: Agriculture and Horticulture Sectors**
* **Impact:** The restructuring of the NHM under MIDH aims for holistic development, broader spectrum of horticulture sector by enhancing cost norms, incorporating high value crops and promoting innovative technologies.
* **Action Required:** Adapt to the new guidelines and focus on enhancing production, quality, and adoption of new technologies.
Key Entities Referenced
National Horticulture Mission (NHM): A scheme launched to develop the horticulture sector in the country. Restructured and subsumed under MIDH
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): A scheme covering a broad spectrum of the horticulture sector; it subsumed the NHM.
Market Intervention Scheme (MIS): Implemented to provide remunerative prices to farmers for perishable agricultural and horticultural commodities not covered under the Minimum Support Price regime.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: The primary ministry responsible for the National Horticulture Mission and related schemes.
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1808
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10TH FEBRUARY, 2026
RE-STRUCTURING OF NATIONAL HORTICULTURE MISSION
1808: SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS’ WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to re-structure the current National Horticulture Mission
in order to increase the production of fruits and vegetables in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether there has been manifold increase in the prices of vegetables and fruits in the
wholesale and retail markets recently in the country, if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the export of tomatoes and onions to other countries has led to the increase in
prices of said items; and
(e) if so, the corrective measures taken by the Government including the effective
implementation of Market intervention scheme for fruits and vegetables?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) & (b) Government of India launched National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in 2004-05 with
the aim for the holistic development of horticulture sector in the country. The said scheme
was re-structured and subsumed under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture
(MIDH) scheme in 2014-15 covering broader spectrum of horticulture sector and the MIDH
scheme was re-structured in 2025 with revised Operational Guidelines implementing MIDH
scheme throughout the country which included all districts of the country, enhancing cost
norms of various interventions, incorporating high value, exotic and medicinal crops and
promoting latest and innovative technologies being used in horticulture sector.
(c) to (e) Government is implementing Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for procurement of
agriculture and horticulture commodities to provide remunerative price to the farmers for
agricultural and horticultural commodities which are perishable and are not covered under the
Minimum Support Price regime. The objective is to protect the farmers from distress sale in
the event of a bumper crop during the peak arrival, when the prices tend to fall below cost of
production. New components of Price Differential Payment (PDP) with an option to make
direct payment of the price difference between the Market Intervention Price (MIP) and the
selling price to the farmers for the crops traded in the APMC mandis has been added.
Additionally, reimbursement for transportation and storage cost of TOP crops (Tomato, Onion
and Potato) to central nodal agencies & State designated agencies for storing and
transporting them from producing state to consuming state are allowed. The payment under
MIS is made directly into the bank account of registered farmers.
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