Union Minister and Nagpur MP Nitin Gadkari on Monday called upon orange farmers across Vidarbha to unite and form large-scale Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to process, brand and market orange-based products, paving the way for sustainable development of the region. He was speaking at Agrovision, the four-day annual agricultural event held in Nagpur.
Gadkari said that organisations in Nagpur will take the initiative to create a comprehensive data bank of orange farmers, enabling them to come together on a common platform. “Orange growers must join hands to form FPCs in significant numbers. We need to ensure large-scale production of value-added orange products such as juice, sweets, powder and even cosmetic items. These products should be packaged locally and branded for the global market,” he said.
Value addition
The Vidarbha region—especially Nagpur—is internationally known for its high-quality oranges, admired for their rich flavour, deep colour and exceptional juice content. These attributes make Nagpur oranges among India’s most prized citrus fruits and a crucial contributor to the country’s fruit economy. However, Gadkari emphasised that the region must now move beyond raw produce to value addition.
He stressed the need to increase per-acre yield, maintain quality, and adopt sustainable cultivation practices. Farmers with innovative approaches and business ideas will receive full support from the government, he assured. Value addition through FPC-led processing, he said, is the key to improving incomes and strengthening the citrus economy of Vidarbha.
AI in agriculture
Earlier in the day, while participating in a discussion on the role of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture, Gadkari encouraged farmers to embrace emerging technologies. He also revealed that he uses AI tools on his own farm to enhance productivity and efficiency.
During Agrovision, the Agrovision Foundation, an NGO supported by Gadkari, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Baramati-based Agriculture Development Trust (ADT)—founded by NCP leader Sharad Pawar. The collaboration aims to promote knowledge-sharing and accelerate the adoption of AI-driven practices in agriculture.
Published on November 24, 2025
