Horticulture deserves better amid export hurdles and safety norms

Horticultural crops are characteristically more productive and remunerative than food crops

Horticulture has emerged as one of the key growth engines of Indian agriculture. The production of fruit, vegetables, and other horticultural crops has consistently outstripped that of food grains ever since 2011-12. This agricultural year, 2024-25 (July to June), the output of horticultural products is projected at 362 million tonnes, which is nearly 10 per cent higher than the anticipated food grain output of 331 million tonnes, though the land under horticulture is merely one-fourth of that under grain crops. Besides, annual growth in horticultural production has been around 8 per cent, against nearly 4 per cent in the case