NEW DELHI: The government has estimated a minimal increase in the production of horticulture products in 2022-23 compared to the previous year. There is a marginal increase in fruits, vegetables and onions, while other produce witnessed a decrease.
The total area of horticulture has, however, gone up. The horticulture products consist of fruits, vegetables, potatoes, onions, tomatoes and medicinal and aromatic plants. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare data, India’s horticulture production is estimated to be 350.87 million tonnes (MT) in 2022-23, one per cent more than in the previous year. In 2021-22, horticulture products were 347.18MT.
There has been a substantial increase in fruit and vegetable production in the past three years. Fruits increased by around 5 per cent, while vegetable production increased by 4.34 per cent from 2020-21 levels.
Similarly, onion production increased by around 20 per cent, while potato output remained the same.
The production, however, seems static compared to the previous year’s output. The production of fruits in 2021-22 was 107.51 MT which minimally increased to 107.75 MT in 2022-23. Onion production has registered a minimal decrease.
In 2021-22, 31.69 MT of onion was produced which came down to 31.01 MT in 2022-23. Whereas, vegetable production was 209.14 MT in 2021-22, which increased to 212.53 MT in 2022-23. Production of potatoes has increased by 3.5 MT, reaching 59.74 MT in 2022-23. Production of tomatoes has come down marginally, while aromatic and medicinal produce increased by 16 thousand tonnes.
Last year's production of tomatoes was 20.69 MT which is estimated to be 20.62 MT in the current year.
Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar said, “Record production due to hard work of farmers, the skill of scientists and policies of the government,” said Tomar.