Lucknow — Uttar Pradesh is sowing the seeds for an agricultural revolution. Moving beyond subsistence farming, the state is embracing a bold, export-oriented model that promises to create jobs, attract investment, and scale up agribusiness. At the heart of this transformation: a plan to establish 1,000 food processing units in each district and a Dutch-supported Indo-Dutch Centre of Excellence in Barabanki.
Global Collaboration, Local Growth
In a landmark partnership with the Netherlands, UP will develop a Centre of Excellence in Trivediganj, Barabanki, focused on scientific cultivation of flowers and vegetables. The facility will emphasize research, innovation, and training in line with international export standards, helping local farmers access high-value global markets.
“This initiative marks a paradigm shift in our approach to agriculture — from survival to sustainability, from local to global,” a senior official from the state agriculture department said.
Big Push for Food Processing
To fuel rural employment and agro-based industry, UP has launched an ambitious drive to build 1,000 food processing units in every district. Backed by the Pradhan Mantri Khadya Unnayan Yojana, more than 17,000 units are already operational. Each unit is eligible for loans up to ₹30 lakh and subsidies up to 35%, with women entrepreneurs getting up to 90% subsidy on solar power installations.
These units are transforming the rural economy by creating jobs across:
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Grading & packaging
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Logistics & transportation
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Nursery management
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Cold storage & warehousing
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Plucking & plantation work
Strategic Export Infrastructure
To further boost global outreach, a modern export hub is coming up near Jewar Airport, which will act as a direct pipeline to markets in Europe, the US, and the Middle East. Additionally, a Gamma Radiation Plant in Lucknow’s Nadarganj Industrial Area has been commissioned to extend shelf life and prevent contamination in fruits and vegetables — a vital step for export readiness.
Doubling Farmer Incomes with High-Value Crops
According to Sanjiv Puri, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), switching from conventional crops to fruits and vegetables increases farmer incomes by 2 to 2.5 times, while significantly improving rural employment levels.
This transformation is already evident in consumer behavior. A recent SBI report notes that post-COVID health trends have raised per capita fruit and vegetable consumption in UP from 7 kg to 12 kg annually over the past decade. The state now ranks first in India in both fruit and vegetable production and consumption.
From scientific farming to global exports, Uttar Pradesh is scripting a new chapter in Indian agriculture — one where farmers become agri-entrepreneurs and rural India powers a billion-dollar economy.
