I am glad to know that the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has decided to setup an 'Online Digital Platform' for Nurseries in India, enabling easy access to information on availability of quality planting material in the nearby locations for farmers/growers and other stake holders. Through this portal, the nursery owners can showcase their profiles and post sale offers. Similarly, buyers of planting material can post enquiries and view matching sale offers.

In this context, I would like to state that the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare is providing financial assistance through its various schemes for establishment of nurseries, their accreditation and rating with an aim to establish a network of quality nurseries across the country for the purpose of propagation, multiplication and distribution of quality planting material of horticulture crops in India.

A large number of nurseries for horticultural crops have been established both in public and private sector. However, information related to the location of nurseries, their rating and availability of planting material with them at any point of time for various crops and their varieties, is scattered and not available at one place. As a result, there is little access of information for farmers/growers and other stakeholders in this field.

I am sure that the National Nursery Portal will help in bridging the gap between Nurseries and Buyers by bringing them on a common platform to ensure easy availability of quality planting material.

I congratulate the entire team of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare for creating this 'Online Digital Platform' and convey my best wishes to all the stakeholders associated with the Portal.