India’s horticulture output, which includes fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers, coconut and medicinal plants, has registered a 2 per cent growth at 341.63 million tonnes (mt) in 2021-22, against 334.6 mt in the previous year. The growth has been significant in onion while mango, tomato, garlic and honey are some other products that clocked an increase in production.
“It has been a good sign that in recent years the horticulture production has continued the momentum in exceeding the production of foodgrain crops. Although the overall growth is marginal, it is still an achievement in view of negative growth in many items,” said an official after the release of the second advance estimates of horticulture crops for 2021-22.
India’s foodgrains output in 2021-22 crop year (July-June) is estimated to have increased to 314.51 mt from 310.74 mt in the previous year. This is largely because of 236.07 mt of rice and wheat production, which have 75 per cent share in total foodgrains output.
The area under all horticulture crops has increased marginally to 27.74 million hectare from 27.48 million hectare.
Potato output dips
Onion production is estimated to rise to 31.70 mt from 26.64 mt in 2020-21, up by 19 per cent. Whereas potato production has declined to 53.58 mt from 56.17 mt and that of tomato has come down to 20.34 mt from 21.18 mt.
Production of all vegetable crops is estimated to have increased to 204.61 mt compared with 200.45 mt in 2020-21 while fruits output has risen to 107.10 mt from 102.48 mt.
Mango production is estimated have increased to 21.01 mt from 20.39 mt in 2020-21, up by 3.1 per cent. Apple production has surged to 2.44 mt from 2.28 mt and that of grapes has gone up to 3.45 mt from 3.36 mt and that of guava to 4.92 mt from 4.58 mt.
Flowers, spices dip
On the other hand, flowers output has dropped to 2.94 mt from 2.98 mt, aromatic and medicinal plants have dropped to 0.56 mt from 0.83 mt, coconut is down to 13.27 mt from 14.3 mt. Output of all plantation crops (excluding tea, coffee and rubber) has dropped to 15.38 mt from 16.63 mt and that of all spices to 10.9 mt from 11.1 mt
Country’s honey production has increased by 8,000 tonnes to 0.13 mt in 2021-22, the Agriculture Ministry said.