Horticulture Sector in India

At a Glance

• Production Over 350 million tonnes
• World rank Second in fruits and vegetables
• Share of cropped area About 13 to 14 per cent
• Leads in Mango, banana, papaya, lemon, okra, ginger
• Scheme MIDH (2014); Operation Greens (2018)
• Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Agriculture and Crop Geography

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the account of land use and reform and takes up the part of agriculture that has grown fastest. The shift to fruits, vegetables and flowers is an important route to raise farm incomes. Previous topic: Land Use Pattern in India and Land Reform (Institutional Factors). Next topic: Agricultural Revolutions (Green Revolution, White Revolution, Blue Revolution, etc.).

What Is the Scale of Horticulture in India?

• Output: total horticulture production has crossed 350 million tonnes, higher than foodgrains, with vegetables at about 200 million tonnes and fruits at over 110 million tonnes. The figures are from the advance estimates of the Ministry of Agriculture and are revised every year, so the latest should be checked.
• Area: about 28 million hectares, only some 13 to 14 per cent of the cropped area, but about a third of the value of agricultural output.
• Rank: India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world after China, and the first in mango, banana, papaya, lemon and lime, okra, ginger and several spices. It is also the largest producer and exporter of spices.
• Leading states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the main producers by volume.

Which Regions Are Known for Which Crops?

Horticulture suits small farms because it gives high income per hectare and creates jobs. It also provides raw material for food processing. The shift of land from foodgrains to horticulture depends on market access.

What Are the Problems and Policies?

• Post-harvest losses: fruits and vegetables perish quickly, and losses due to poor storage, transport and handling are estimated at a sizeable share of output, about 5 to 15 per cent or more. Cold chains and packhouses are lacking.
• Price volatility: prices of tomato, onion and potato swing sharply between glut and shortage. These crops are not covered by a minimum support price.
• Market access: small farmers sell through intermediaries.
• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH, 2014): a Centrally sponsored scheme supporting production, post-harvest management, processing and marketing, with the National Horticulture Mission, Horticulture Mission for the North East and Himalayan states, and the National Horticulture Board.
• Operation Greens (2018): stabilises the supply and prices of tomato, onion and potato (TOP), later extended to other crops.
• Others: the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (2020), cluster development, e-NAM, APEDA support for exports, and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana for food processing.
• Exports: mango, grapes, onion, banana, pomegranate and spices go to the Gulf, Europe and Asia; export quality and standards need to improve.

The sector also has a social angle. Horticulture gives more days of work per hectare than cereals, and women are a large share of the workers in picking, grading, packing and processing, so growth in horticulture can raise rural employment and women’s income. Spices and plantation crops such as tea, coffee, rubber and coconut are covered by separate boards, such as the Spices Board and the Coconut Development Board, which support research and exports. Protected cultivation in greenhouses, drip irrigation and tissue culture seedlings are spreading, and organic and geographical-indication products such as Darjeeling tea or Alphonso mango earn better prices. As an analytical point, horticulture shows how diversification can raise incomes, if post-harvest systems and markets keep pace with production. The wider policy is in Major Government Agricultural Schemes and the National Policy for Farmers and the use of technology in Use of Information Technology in Agriculture.

Why Is This Topic Important?

• Rank India’s position
• Schemes MIDH, Operation Greens
• Link Food processing

What Came Next?

The next topic describes the agricultural revolutions: Green, White, Blue and others. Next topic: Agricultural Revolutions (Green Revolution, White Revolution, Blue Revolution, etc.).

Key People and Terms

• Horticulture Fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices
• Post-harvest loss Loss after harvest
• Cold chain Cooled storage and transport
• MIDH Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture
• TOP Tomato, onion, potato
• APEDA Agricultural exports authority

Exam Corner

Mains Angle

Questions ask about horticulture as a route to higher income. These points add depth.

• Potential Income per hectare
• Gaps Storage and markets
• Policy Missions and processing