National Horticulture Board

What National Horticulture Board does

National Horticulture Board (NHB) is an autonomous organization of the Government of India, established in 1984 and operating under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. NHB's mandate is to promote and develop India's horticulture sector by administering the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and a portfolio of central sector schemes — the Commercial Horticulture Scheme, Cold Storage Scheme, Cluster Development Programme (CDP), Clean Plant Program (CPP), Technology Development Transfer Scheme, and Market Information Service Scheme. The board provides capital investment subsidies of 25-50% of project cost for commercial horticulture projects, cold storage construction, and technology adoption, serving horticulture farmers, nurseries, cold storage operators, and Implementing Agencies across India.\n\nNHB's technology stack is a portfolio of digital portals supporting scheme delivery: the National Nursery Portal (NNP) for nursery registration and star rating, the Integrated Cold Chain Availability Platform (ICAP) for cold chain availability tracking, the CDP Suraksha Portal for cluster development proposals, the NHB Interactive Application System for online subsidy applications, and the Clean Plant Program Beta Platform. The CPP, launched in 2024 as a joint initiative of the Government of India, the Asian Development Bank, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), establishes nine crop-specific Clean Plant Centers across ICAR institutes to deliver disease-free planting material for fruit crops including mango, pomegranate, grapes, citrus, apple, almond, walnut, avocado, dragon fruit, and berries.\n\nNHB does not generate commercial revenue; it operates as a government subsidy disbursement body funded by budgetary allocations from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, with ADB providing 50% co-funding specifically for the Clean Plant Program. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with the Union Minister of State for Agriculture serving as ex-officio Vice-President, and is currently led by Managing Director Kapil Meena, IAS. NHB's distribution network consists of a Gurugram headquarters, five regional zone offices (North, South, East, West, North-East), dedicated CDP officers, and field/state offices reaching beneficiaries across all Indian states.

Name

National Horticulture Board

Legal name

National Horticulture Board

Website

https://nhb.gov.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Short description

National Horticulture Board is a Government of India autonomous body under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare that administers horticulture subsidies, the Cluster Development Programme, and the Clean Plant Program. It serves farmers, nurseries, and cold storage operators across India via digital portals and five regional zones.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Services

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm Operations Planning & SOP Development (AFACAJAB), Horticulture, Nursery & Greenhouse Operations (EDAOAOAB)

Keywords

• Horticulture development
• Agricultural subsidies
• Cold chain infrastructure
• Nursery accreditation
• Clean planting material

Headquarters

HQ city

Gurugram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Subsidies and Grants Disbursement: NHB operates as a government subsidy disbursement body under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). It provides capital investment subsidies (25-50% of project cost) for commercial horticulture projects, cold storage construction, and technology adoption. The board does not generate commercial revenue but operates on government budgetary allocations from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

National Horticulture Board (NHB) is an autonomous government body under India's Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare that administers horticulture development schemes and disburses capital investment subsidies to farmers, nurseries, and enterprises. It offers Commercial Horticulture Scheme (25-50% project cost subsidy), Cold Storage Scheme, Technology Development Transfer, Market Information Services, and operates digital platforms including the National Nursery Portal, Integrated Cold Chain Availability Platform (ICAP), Bharat GAP Certification, the Cluster Development Programme (CDP), and the Clean Plant Program (CPP) implemented with Asian Development Bank and ICAR.

Product overview

National Horticulture Board operates a platform-based portfolio consisting of multiple interconnected schemes and portals. The core offerings include: the Commercial Horticulture Scheme and Cold Storage Scheme for capital subsidies; the Cluster Development Programme (CDP) and Clean Plant Program (CPP) as major new initiatives; the Technology Development Transfer Scheme and Market Information Service for sector support; and digital platforms including the National Nursery Portal, ICAP (Integrated Cold Chain Availability Platform), Nursery Rating System, and Bharat GAP Certification. These products work together to provide end-to-end support from quality planting material (via CPP and nurseries) to production subsidies, cold storage infrastructure, market information, and certification services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cluster Development Programme (CDP): A central sector programme for holistic growth and development of horticulture clusters to make them globally competitive, launched on December 31, 2024
• Clean Plant Programme (CPP)
• Bharat GAP Certification
• National Nursery Portal
• Integrated Cold Chain Availability Platform (ICAP)

Products and services

• Commercial Horticulture Scheme NHB scheme providing capital investment subsidies (25-50% of project cost) for development of commercial horticulture through production and post-harvest management of horticulture produce, including hi-tech cultivation, open field cultivation, and protected cultivation. Targeted at farmers and horticulture enterprises.
• Cold Storage Scheme Capital investment subsidy scheme for the construction, expansion, and modernisation of Cold Storages and storage facilities for horticulture produce. Targeted at cold storage operators and logistics providers.
• Technology Development Transfer Scheme Scheme for technology development and transfer for promotion of horticulture, aimed at promoting technology from National and State R&D institutions.
• Market Information Service Scheme Market information service for horticulture crops, including daily price-arrival market bulletins, weekly and monthly reports, and annual price arrival reports.
• National Nursery Portal (NNP) Online portal for nursery registration and management under NHB schemes, enabling nurseries to register, participate in NHB programs, and receive accreditation and star rating certification.
• Bharat GAP Certification Good Agricultural Practices certification program that provides guidelines and standards for farm production processes ensuring safety and quality of agricultural products.
• Nursery Rating System Accreditation and rating system for horticulture nurseries, allowing users to find rated nurseries across different states and crops.
• Integrated Cold Chain Availability Platform (ICAP) Platform providing information on cold chain availability across India for horticulture produce storage and logistics.
• Cluster Development Programme (CDP) Central sector programme for holistic growth and development of horticulture clusters to make them globally competitive. Two pathways: Multi Commodity High Value Clusters and Peri Urban Vegetables Clusters. Implemented through the CDP Suraksha Portal.
• Clean Plant Program (CPP) Government of India initiative implemented by NHB in collaboration with Asian Development Bank and ICAR to ensure healthy and disease-free quality planting material of key fruit crops. The program establishes crop-specific Clean Plant Centers (CPCs) at ICAR institutes for testing, clean-up, maintenance, and distribution of clean planting material for crops including Pomegranate, Almond, Mango, Litchi, Grapes, Apple, Avocado, Dragon Fruit, Guava, Citrus, and Berries.

Quantifiable outcome

• India horticulture exports reaching ₹925.32 billion to 100+ countries in TE 2024-25
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ICAR oversees technical progress and facilitates capacity building for the Clean Plant Program. Nine ICAR institutes host Clean Plant Centers (CPCs) for specific fruit crops based on their expertise and regional relevance. ICAR provides scientific staff deployment and monitors CPC operations.
• ICAR-National Research Center on Pomegranate (NRCP), SolapurcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CPC for Pomegranate - NHB's implementing partner for clean planting material of pomegranate, one of India's major horticulture exports.
• ICAR-Central Institute for Temperate Horticulture (CITH), Srinagar & MukteshwarcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CPC for Almond, Apple, Walnut, Berries and other temperate fruit crops - two locations (Srinagar, J&K and Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand) handling temperate horticulture clean planting material.
• ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), Lucknow & MaldacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CPC for Mango, Guava, and Litchi - two locations (Lucknow, UP and Malda, West Bengal) serving major mango and subtropical fruit producing regions.
• ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), BengalurucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CPC for Multi-crops (Mango, Guava, Dragon fruit, and Avocado) - serving southern India's horticulture production needs.
• ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes, PunecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CPC for Grapes - India's major grape producing region, supporting both domestic and export markets.
• ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI), NagpurcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CPC for Citrus - addressing India's third-largest citrus producer status and viral disease challenges.
• IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute), New DelhicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Advance Centre of Virology acting as referral lab for certification, conducting hazard analysis for identified crops, construction of growth chambers for pre-G1 material storage, and implementing environmental and social safeguards.
• Directorate of Technical Education and Training, OdishaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment department that awarded contract to NHB for building Clean Plant Centre laboratory and office at ICAR-CITH Srinagar.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA): Indian government body under the Ministry of Commerce that promotes export of agricultural and processed food products, including horticulture. APEDA is a directly comparable statutory body addressing market linkage and export promotion for horticulture producers.
• National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED): Government-promoted cooperative federation that aggregates, procures, and markets agricultural produce including horticulture crops. NAFED plays a similar role as a government-linked intermediary supporting farmer incomes and market access.
• Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC): Society under the Department of Agriculture promoting agribusiness development and cluster-based farming among small farmers. SFAC's focus on farmer producer organizations and cluster development is directly comparable to NHB's CDP programme.
• Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation): Australian research and development corporation delivering horticulture innovation, market development, and capacity building through industry levies and government co-investment. Directly comparable to NHB's role as a horticulture-specific industry development body.

Broad incumbents

• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD): Apex development bank for agriculture and rural development in India, providing credit, refinancing, and development support across the agricultural value chain. NABARD is a broader institutional peer with overlapping agriculture development mission but operates at the credit/funding level.
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): Statutory body under Ministry of Health setting food safety and standards. FSSAI is comparable to NHB's Bharat GAP certification role on the quality/safety side, addressing agricultural produce standards at the central government level.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): UN specialized agency leading international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition through agriculture. FAO is comparable at a global level through its horticulture, plant health, and food security programs; relevant as international benchmark.
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Agricultural Marketing Service: USDA agency overseeing agricultural marketing, grading, and specialty crop programs. Comparable to NHB through its horticulture marketing, quality standards, and producer support programs administered by a federal authority.

Emerging players

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): Apex public body for agricultural research and education in India. ICAR is a close partner of NHB through 9 institutes hosting Clean Plant Centers; it is thematically adjacent as the R&D backbone while NHB focuses on scheme delivery and industry development.

Regional players

• Maharashtra State Horticulture & Medicinal Plants Board: State-level horticulture board in Maharashtra implementing central and state horticulture schemes. Comparable in mandate (horticulture development and subsidy disbursement) but operating at sub-national scope versus NHB's pan-India role.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Horti_GoI
• Facebookfacebook.com/p/National-Horticulture-Board-100057778805164
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horti-goi
• Instagraminstagram.com/nhbgoi?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Horticulture Board