Guwahati, 25 Nov 2025 (ANN); Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma yesterday inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables at Khetri in Kamrup (Metro) district under the Indo–Israel Agricultural Project.

Spread across 66 bighas, the facility includes a 1,200 sq. m. fan-pad greenhouse equipped with climate and humidity control systems, soil-less cultivation technology and a boom irrigation mechanism capable of producing 4.5 lakh high-value vegetable seedlings per production cycle.

According to the Chief Minister, farmers visiting the centre will be introduced to new irrigation practices and modern techniques that can be adopted on their own farms. He said the technology will allow farmers to control irrigation remotely through mobile phones or computers, ensuring timely delivery of water and nutrients to crops.

Officials said more than 600 farmers have already received training at the centre. The facility has produced over 7 lakh seedlings of crops such as papaya and tomato, which have been distributed free of cost across nine districts.

The Centre sanctioned ₹5.84 crore for the project in 2020–21, while the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) provided an additional ₹60 lakh for land development and related works.

Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar and Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora were also present at the inauguration.
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