Fruits & vegetables output to rise 5%, prices may stabilise

Production of major fruits and vegetables is expected to be good in 2010-2011, which could exert a downward pressure on prices.

According to the first advanced estimates of horticulture crops for 2010-2011 released recently, output of potato is projected at 40.2 million tonnes (mt), up 10 per cent from last year, and output of onion at 13.1 mt, up 7.8 per cent. Last year, onion prices flared up after production slumped 10.3 per cent to 12.15 mt. However, most experts believe prices should remain stable this year because of higher output.

Production of tomato is expected to rise marginally by 1.3 per cent to 10.5 mt, while that of cabbage, cauliflower, peas and okra is estimated to increase by 1.51 per cent, 2.43 per cent, 1.25 per cent and 4.30 per cent, respectively.

 

Overall, the country is expected to produce 141.1 mt of vegetables, up 5.21 per cent. Last year the country produced 134.1 mt of vegetables. The acreage of vegetables has also risen from eight million hectares to 8.1 million hectares.

Among fruits, production of mangoes is projected to be 16.1 mt, up 7.19 per cent.

Output of apples will be 2.88 mt, up 63 per cent, while that of bananas would be 27 mt, up 2 per cent.

Production of citrus, guava, grapes and litchi is projected to increase by 0.93 per cent, 3.11per cent, 21.25 per cent and 2.0 per cent, respectively to 9.72 mt, 2.65 mt, 0.97 mt and 0.49 mt.

Overall, production of major fruits in the country is estimated to be around 75.22 mt, up 5.18 citrus from last year. Area under fruits has also risen by 2.05 per cent.