India’s horticulture output is likely to drop marginally by 0.4 per cent to 333.25 million tonnes (mt) during the current crop year (July 2021-June 22 ) compared with the previous year. The output of vegetables, spices, and plantation crops is set to decline. However, among the key essential items, while production of potato and tomato may drop, that of onion is pegged higher.
Releasing the first advance estimates of the crop year and the final estimates of 2020-21 area and production of horticultural crops, the Union Agriculture Ministry said data has been compiled on the basis of information received from States and other government agencies.
According to the official data, the fall in horticulture output is despite a higher area under cultivation at 27.56 million hectares (mh) in 2021-22 against 27.48 mh last year.
High base effect
While some experts have termed the fall to high base effect as in the last year horticulture production had grown by 4.4 per cent to a record 334.60 mt, others said the gap is marginal this year and there could be an upward revision in production during subsequent estimates.
Onion production is estimated to be 31.1 mt this season up from 26.6 mt in 2020-21, while potato output is expected to be 53.6 mt compared with 56.2 mt last year. Tomato production is likely to be 20.3 mt against 21.18 mt mainly due to fall in area.
Fruits up, vegetables down
Fruits production is seen at 102.9 mt this year as against 102.5 mt in 2020-21 and that of vegetables at 199.9 mt compared with 200.4 mt in the previous year.
Spices are likely to drop by 2.7 per cent to 10.82 mt from 11.12 mt and that of four plantation crops (arecanut, cashewnut, cocoa and coconut) by 4.7 per cent to 15.85 mt from 16.63 mt. However among the spices, turmeric, tamarind and garlic have registered higher growth from last year. Coconut production is seen to drop to 13.66 mt from 14.3 mt despite increase in area. Aromatic and medicinal crops output may decline a notch to 0.77 mt from 0.83 mt, data show.