Horticulture Production in India

General Studies Paper-3        

Context: India’s horticulture production in 2023-24 is estimated at approximately 352.23 million tonnes, reflecting a decrease of about 32.51 lakh tonnes (0.91 per cent) compared to the final estimates of 2022-23.

Horticulture Sector in India

• Horticulture is the science and art of cultivating fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants. It encompasses a wide range of activities including plant propagation, production, management, and marketing.
• The Indian horticulture sector contributes about 33% to the agriculture Gross Value Added (GVA) making a very significant contribution to the Indian economy.
• At present, India ranks first in the production of a number of crops like Banana, Lime & Lemon, Papaya, Okra, and the second largest producer of vegetables and fruits in the world.

Challenges and Issues Faced by the Sector

• Lack of Infrastructure: Insufficient infrastructure for post-harvest handling, storage, and transportation leads to significant losses of perishable horticultural produce.
• Water Management: Horticulture is water-intensive, and water scarcity or inefficient water management practices affect crop yields and quality.
• Pest and Disease Management: Pests and diseases cause significant damage to horticultural crops, and the misuse of pesticides lead to environmental pollution and health hazards.
• Market Linkages: Limited market linkages and price fluctuations affect farmers’ income and discourage investment in horticultural production.
• Climate Change: Erratic weather patterns, including unpredictable rainfall and temperature fluctuations, pose challenges to horticultural production and require adaptation strategies.
• Quality Standards and Certification: Meeting quality standards and obtaining certification for export markets can be challenging for small-scale horticultural producers.

Key Initiatives to Overcome Challenges

• It focuses National Horticulture Mission (2005-06): It aims to promote holistic growth of the horticulture sector by enhancing production, productivity, and quality of horticulture crops. on creating infrastructure, providing technical assistance, and promoting market linkages.
• National Horticulture Board (NHB): It provides financial assistance, technical guidance, and market intelligence to horticulture growers, processors, and exporters to promote production, processing, and marketing of horticultural crops.
  • Cluster Development Program is a component of the central sector scheme of NHB that aims at leveraging the geographical specialisation of horticulture clusters and promoting integrated and market-led development of pre-production, production, post-harvest, logistics, branding, and marketing activities.
• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) (2014): It integrates various horticulture development schemes under one umbrella to provide holistic support for the entire value chain, from pre-production to post-harvest management and marketing.
• Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): It supports states in planning, implementing, and monitoring their horticulture development strategies by providing financial assistance for infrastructure development, capacity building, and other interventions.
• Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM): It supports the adoption of mechanisation in horticulture for activities like land preparation, planting, harvesting, and post-harvest management to improve efficiency and reduce labour dependency.