ICAR-IIHR is a premier research institute, mandated to do research, training, extension, technology transfer and education on 57 horticultural crops such as fruits, vegetables, ornamental and medicinal crops and mushroom. Serving the horticulturists of the country over five decades, the institute has developed more than 310 cultivars and 150 production technologies. To disseminate, transfer and promote entrepreneurship on such technologies, ICAR-IIHR undertakes a variety of extension activities such as trainings, demonstrations, interface programmes, technology commercialization, business incubation, etc. One such activity is participation in exhibition across the country to showcase IIHR technologies. Recently, ICAR-IIHR participated in the International Agriculture and Horti Expo – 2022 during June 17-19, 2022. This expo is a combination of various expos such as World Organic Expo – 2022, Food Technology Expo – 2022, Indian Dairy Industry and Tech Expo – 2022, Environment and Energy expo – 2022, which was conducted in Pragati Maidhan, New Delhi. The exhibition was participated by more than more than 60 exhibitors representing development departments of various state governments, central government research institutions, commodity based organizations and government supported programmes and schemes.
The ICAR-IIHR stall had the display of selected important charts, live samples of fruits (varieties of mango, papaya, pummelo and Kamalam fruit), live samples of vegetables (varieties of chillies), live samples of flowers (varieties of tuberose and rose), PHT products (osmotically dehydrated products of fruits, vegetables, fruit bars, probiotic juices, squashes), mushroom products (fortified and dehydrated mushroom products) soil less culture plants (including empty bags, cocopeat bags and different planting material) and IIHR incubator produced products such as AMC and micro-nutrient specials of citrus, vegetables, banana and mango. Apart from these samples, the videos of IIHR success stories and vista of IIHR were played through hired video panel for all three days continuously.
The ICAR-IIHR stall attracted a lot of visitors such as VIPs, progressive farmers, bureaucrats, policy makers, students etc., More than 5000 visitors visited ICAR-IIHR stall in these days. The takehome lesson by participation in such Expo is that there will be new avenues for further linkages and collaborations with various related institutions, programmes and schemes.
