National Horticulture Board
The National Horticulture Board (NHB) Scheme is a government program that helps farmers, entrepreneurs, and businesses grow and improve fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, and other horticultural crops in India.
The scheme supports people by giving subsidies and technical help for setting up hi-tech farms, nurseries, cold storages, processing units, and marketing infrastructure. The main aim is to reduce wastage, improve quality, and help farmers earn more by making it easier to grow, store, process, and sell horticulture produce.
Objectives
- ☉ To promote the integrated and sustainable development of the horticulture sector.
- ☉ To help set up hi-tech commercial farms and nurseries for better planting material.
- ☉ To support building cold storages, packhouses, and processing units to reduce post-harvest losses.
- ☉ To encourage the use of modern technology and better farming practices.
- ☉ To provide training and skill development for farmers and entrepreneurs.
- ☉ To improve marketing and export of horticulture produce.
- ☉ To increase farmers’ incomes and create more jobs in rural areas.
Eligible Activities
- ☉ Setting up commercial horticulture farms and nurseries
- ☉ Building cold storages, controlled atmosphere storages, and packhouses
- ☉ Establishing ripening chambers and primary processing units
- ☉ Buying and installing modern equipment for grading, sorting, and packaging
- ☉ Post-harvest management and value addition activities
- ☉ Marketing infrastructure like rural markets and wholesale markets
- ☉ Training and capacity building activities
Benefits
- ☉ Subsidy up to 35% of the total project cost for setting up horticulture projects (up to ₹50 lakh for individuals, higher for groups/companies)
- ☉ Financial help for building cold storages, packhouses, and processing units
- ☉ Support for buying modern equipment and technology
- ☉ Help with getting quality planting material and better seeds
- ☉ Training, technical guidance, and market linkages for better sales
Eligible Beneficiaries
- ☉ Individual farmers and entrepreneurs
- ☉ Farmer groups, cooperatives, and Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
- ☉ Companies, partnership firms, and producer organizations
- ☉ Public and private sector organizations involved in horticulture
Important Documents
- ☉ Aadhaar card or any valid ID proof of the applicant.
- ☉ PAN card of the applicant or organization.
- ☉ Land ownership or lease documents for the project site.
- ☉ Detailed Project Report (DPR) explaining your business plan and activities.
- ☉ Term loan sanction letter from the bank, mentioning loan details and project activities.
- ☉ Bank account details and recent bank statements.
- ☉ Quotation or estimate for machinery, equipment, or infrastructure you plan to buy.
- ☉ Notarized affidavit as per NHB format (on ₹20 stamp paper).
- ☉ Photographs of the project site and unit.
- ☉ Registration certificate (for companies, cooperatives, FPOs, etc.).
- ☉ Any other documents as specified in the application form or by NHB
Apply for National Horticulture Board Scheme
- ☉ First, visit the official National Horticulture Board (NHB) website: https://nhb.gov.in and register yourself for the scheme you want (like Commercial Horticulture or Cold Storage).
- ☉ Click on “Register Yourself” and fill in your basic details to create an account with your email and mobile number.
- ☉ Log in using your ID and password, then fill out the online application form with all required details about your project and personal information.
- ☉ Upload scanned copies of all required documents in PDF format; photos and signature should be in JPEG format.
- ☉ Pay the application fee online using net banking, debit card, or credit card.
- ☉ The fee depends on your project size (for example, ₹1,000 for projects up to ₹10 lakh, ₹2,000 for ₹10–20 lakh, ₹5,000 for ₹20–50 lakh, and ₹10,000 for above ₹50 lakh).
- ☉ After submitting the application, take a printout, sign each page, and send the hard copy along with documents by speed post or courier to the NHB Head Office in Gurugram within 7 days of online submission.
- ☉ You will get a unique project code to track your application online.
- ☉ The NHB will review your application and contact you for any further steps or clarification.
- ☉ The process is now simpler and mostly digital, with minimum documentation and faster approval timeline/
Watch Our Detailed Video on National Horticulture Board (NHB) Scheme
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Got any questions?
Farmers, entrepreneurs, groups, companies, and cooperatives involved in horticulture can apply for this scheme.
Projects like hi-tech farms, nurseries, cold storages, packhouses, processing units, and marketing infrastructure are supported.
You can get up to 35% subsidy on your project cost, with a maximum limit depending on the type of project and applicant.
