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The country’s horticulture production rose by 5 per cent to touch an all-time high of 300 million tonnes during 2016-17 on the back of record output of fruits, vegetables, spices and plantation crops.
According to government data, area under horticulture crops increased by 2.6 per cent to 25.1 million hectares in 2016-17 from 24.5 million hectares in the previous year,
The agriculture ministry released the third advance estimates of area and production of horticulture crops for 2016-17.
“The record production of horticulture crops in the country during 2016-17 is estimated to be around 300 million tonnes, which is 4.8 per cent higher as compared to the previous year,” it said.
On good monsoon rains last year, the country’s overall foodgrain production was also at an all-time high of 275.68 million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year that ended in June.
As per the latest estimates, fruit output is estimated to be record 93.7 million tonnes in 2016-17, up 3.9 per cent from the previous year.
Vegetable production rose by 4 per cent to record 176 million tonnes in 2016-17.
Among vegetables, onion production rose by nearly 4 per cent to 21.7 million tonnes. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat are major onion producing states in the country.
The country witnessed record potato output at 48.2 million tonnes in 2016-17 from 43.4 million tonnes in the previous year. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab are major producing states.
Tomato output, too, grew by 4 per cent to around 19.5 million tonnes. The major growing states are Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha and Gujarat.
“Production of flowers is estimated to be around 2.3 million tonnes which is 4.3 per cent higher than the previous year. Production of aromatics and medicinal plants is estimated to be around 1.04 million tonnes which is 2 per cent higher than the previous year,” the statement said.
Plantation crops (areca nut, cashewnut, cocoa and coconut) output is estimated at record 18.3 million tonnes, up 10.2 per cent higher than the previous year.
“Record production of spices is estimated to be around 8.2 million tonnes which is 17.4 per cent higher than the previous year,” the statement said.
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