Horticulture sector has the prime importance in Pakistan Agriculture Industry. The horticulture sector is not only producing fruits and vegetables for local consumption but also earning a handsome amount of foreign exchange through export of fruits and vegetables produced in Pakistan.

Pakistan is blessed with vast agro-environment to produce a variety of temperate, sub-tropical and Mediterranean fruits and vegetables at suitable locations according to the specific climatic requirements of the different fruits and vegetable crops. At present 6963.57 (000 tons) fruits are being produced on an area of 746.62 (000 ha) with an average national yield 9.32 tons /ha. Similarly 3505.90 (000 tons) vegetables are also being produced on an area of 267.51 (000 ha) with an average national yield 13.10 tons /ha. The average national yield of fruits and vegetable crops is quite low when compared with developed/developing countries (Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan 2018-19.). Potato has emerged as one of the high yielding cash crop in Pakistan. During the past one decade it has gained economic importance in the country and there is a rapid increase in cropping area during the last two decades. In year 2018-19 the area under potato cultivation was 196,200 hectare with a total production of 4578900 tons/ha. (Pakistan Economic Survey 2018-19).Three crops of potatoes are grown in Pakistan with an average yield of 23 tonnes per hectare which is very low as compared to the world standards.

The research and development activities are being under taken with the aim to resolve problems and to boost the yield.
Vegetable Programme was in function as Coordinated Research Programme since 1984 whereas; Fruit and Potato Programmes were included as Coordinated Research Programmes in July, 2002. In 1993-94, it was decided to unite these three programmes of horticultural crops into a central controlling body as Horticultural Research Institute (HRI). The Floriculture Program has a checkered history. Though at the time of inception of NARC it was a part of Horticulture program but couldn’t establish as a functional research entity. Later on, Floriculture was kept under general administration for the maintenance of lawn landscaping and beautification purposes. In the meantime, on it was transferred to FO&S for some time and then again made a part of Horticulture Research Institute (HRI) as a weak coordinating program. In 2008, it was elevated to a full-fledged independent Directorate named as “Directorate of Floriculture, Landscaping and Bio prospecting (FL&BO). It was again abolished in 2012 by splitting into two parts; Floriculture and Landscaping. The Floriculture part was again merged in Horticulture Research Institute (HRI) and the Landscaping was attached with FO&S. In 2015, it was again elevated to the status of Directorate named as “Directorate of Floriculture”, made a part of Department of Horticulture Research and Development (DHRD) to solely mandate to conduct research on floriculture and ornamental plants. Since 2018, it has been working as named Floriculture Programunder the umbrella of Horticulture Research Institute (HRI).