Andhra Pradesh to Transform Royal Scimma with Global Horticulture Hub

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced on October 2 that a Global Horticulture Hub will be built at Madanapalle in Annamayya district. The project, backed by a total investment of one lakh crore rupees, aims to turn the drought‑prone Royal Scimma region into a fertile zone for high‑value crops.

The foundation stone for the hub and the Indian School of Agriculture was laid together with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and HR Development Minister Nara Lokesh also addressed the gathering.

The hub will be executed in three phases, drawing ₹40,352 crore from the centre and seeking ₹60,000 crore from private players. It will serve ten districts – Anantapur, Annamayya, Chittoor, Kurnool, Nandyal, Sri Sathya Sai, Tirupati, Kadapa, Prakasam and Markapuram – covering 303 mandals, 5,869 villages and 201 clusters.

The government plans to expand horticultural land from the current 8.41 lakh hectares to 14.41 lakh hectares, adding six lakh hectares of new area. Production targets are set to rise from 222 lakh tonnes to 435 lakh tonnes, directly benefiting 9.6 lakh farmers.

An additional 9 lakh acres of ayacut will be created and irrigation facilities will be stabilized on 4.3 lakh acres. Naidu pledged that farmers will soon cultivate apples, strawberries, bananas, avocados, kiwis and dates, positioning Royal Scimma as a global "fruit bowl".