Vegetable production in our country has touched new height in recent past. As a result of coordinated efforts, more than 200 varieties including 41 hybrids in different vegetable crops have been released, said Dr. Kirthi Singh, Secretary, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Dr. Singh was inaugurating the XX Group Meeting of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops at the KAU, Vellanikkara on April 9, 2002.

Presently vegetables occupy 5.86 million hectares with a production of over 90 million tonnes. India is the second largest producer of vegetables after China, contributing about 13.38 per cent of the total world production, he said.

According to him the full realization of biotechnology in agriculture depends on continued successful and innovative research. To achieve this, biotechnology should be fully integrated with classical plant breeding. The potential to increase sustainable vegetable productivity will rely largely upon newly developed DNA technology and molecular markers. These techniques enable to select better genotypes through isolation and cloning of desirable genes for creation of transgenic plants.

He cautioned that with the advancement in technology and trade agreements like GATT under the WTO we are bound to adopt control measures like Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP ) and sanitary and phyto sanitary procedures (SPS ). The quality standards of preserved vegetables have been upgraded in many developed countries. We must accept these quality standards (ISO 9000). If we intend to be a member of the international trading community, there is need for all round upgradation of technology, which would imply modernizing the system in production, handling, processing, preservation, packaging, transportation and marketing.

Dr. KV Peter, Vice-Chancellor, KAU in his address, underlined the importance of competitiveness in vegetable production in the globalized scenario. He also stressed the need for improving post-harvest technologies.

Dr.G Kalloo, Deputy Director General (Hort ) presided over the function. Dr.MK Banerjee, Director, IIVR presented the research report. Dr.Premkumar, FAO Consultant also spoke.