The National Horticulture Board (NHB), under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, has released the Final Guidelines for the Cluster Development Programme (CDP), July 2025.

The revised guidelines aim to strengthen India’s horticulture sector through a cluster-based, value-chain approach, covering pre-production, production, post-harvest management, logistics, marketing, and branding. The programme focuses on developing multi-commodity high-value clusters and peri-urban vegetable clusters to improve farmer income, enhance productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and boost exports.

The document details the eligibility criteria, implementation framework, project approval process, financial assistance pattern, fund release mechanism, and monitoring system, ensuring transparency and efficient execution across all participating states.