Millet push, kiwi boost, dragon fruit drive: Uttarakhand's Dhami government reflects on 4 years of farm and horticulture reforms

The Uttarakhand government has expanded focus on both traditional agriculture and high-value horticulture, introducing a series of initiatives aimed at increasing farmers' incomes and diversifying crop production across the state, under chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's four year tenure.

Efforts to promote traditional crops have included the procurement of mandua (finger millet) under the National Food Security Mission since 2022. The state has integrated millets into the public distribution system, mid-day meals, and Anganwadi nutrition programs to boost both demand and nutritional access. In 2023, the State Millet Mission was launched to raise awareness, increase production, and improve procurement and storage infrastructure.

The state government has significantly raised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for mandua — from Rs 2,500 per quintal in 2021–22 to Rs 4,200 per quintal in 2024–25- marking a 68 per cent increase. In parallel, marketing initiatives such as open-market promotion and the House of Himalayas platform have been rolled out. The number of mandua collection centers has expanded from 23 in 2020–21 to 270 in 2024–25, with support from Multi-Purpose Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies and Farmer Producer Organizations.

Further institutional support is being introduced through the Uttarakhand State Millets Policy 2025–26. The policy is structured in two phases: the first, running from 2025–26 to 2027–28, will cover 30,000 hectares across 24 development blocks; the second, from 2028–29 to 2030–31, will expand coverage to 40,000 hectares across 44 blocks. The policy applies to 11 districts, excluding Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, and supports crops such as mandua, jhangora (barnyard millet), ramdana (amaranth), kauni, and china (foxtail millet).

In the horticulture sector, the Uttarakhand Kiwi Policy was launched in April 2025 and will remain in effect until 2030–31. It offers 70 per cent state assistance for setting up kiwi orchards at a cost of Rs 12 lakh per acre, with beneficiaries covering the remaining 30 per cent. The policy is applicable in 11 districts and has a total project outlay of Rs 894 crore.

A separate scheme for dragon fruit cultivation was also launched in April 2025 under the Chief Minister’s State Agriculture Development Program. The initiative, running through 2027–28, targets seven districts-Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Nainital, Bageshwar, Pauri, Dehradun, and Tehri. It offers 80 per cent state support on an estimated cost of Rs 8 lakh per acre, with the remaining cost borne by farmers. The scheme focuses on promoting cultivation through modern and scientific methods.

“Our government is committed to boosting traditional agriculture as well as horticulture to increase farmers’ incomes. We are providing everything from modern seeds to advanced technologies. A prosperous Uttarakhand requires prosperous farmers,” said CM Dhami.