Horticulture output seen at record 300 mn tonnes

Horticulture production for the 2016-17 crop year is now estimated to be a record 300 million tonnes, according to the third advanced estimate released on Thursday. This is almost 4.8 per cent higher than last year’s and 1.58 per cent more than the second estimate released in February. 

The record harvest has put horticulture output ahead of foodgrain production for a fifth year. Foodgrain production was estimated at around 276 million tonnes, according to the fourth estimate released earlier his month. 

The area under horticulture crops rose 2.6 per cent to 25.1 million hectares in 2016-17 against the previous year. From 2004-05 to 2016-17, India’s area under horticulture crops rose 34.22 per cent while horticulture production went up by almost 80 per cent. Production of foodgrain during the period rose 39.4 per cent. 

The per-hectare yield of horticulture crops has also been more than that of foodgrain. But experts said the numbers weren’t strictly comparable as production patterns and processes were different. However, a jump in horticulture production not supplemented by adequate processing and storage capacities might lead to a massive swing in prices. 

This year, too, due to a bumper harvest, prices of onions had dropped sharply before rising suddenly. Damage to standing kharif crops had caused the spurt. Tomato prices dropped to record lows in April to June, followed by a crash in potato prices. A slump in prices of onions, tomatoes and potatoes in April to June had caused a nationwide farmers’ agitation. The stir had turned violent and six farmers were shot dead in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh.