The Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has released the Third Advance Estimates for the 2023-24 horticultural year, providing a comprehensive overview of the area and production of various horticultural crops. These estimates have been compiled based on data from States, Union Territories (UTs), and other governmental agencies.
Total Horticulture Production Slightly Decreases
According to the latest estimates, total horticulture production in India is projected to reach 353.19 million tonnes in 2023-24. This marks a slight decrease of 0.65% compared to the final estimates of 2022-23, equating to a reduction of approximately 22.94 lakh tonnes. However, the total area under horticulture cultivation has increased, expanding from 28.44 million hectares in 2022-23 to 28.98 million hectares in 2023-24.
|
Total Horticulture |
2022-23 |
2023-24 (2nd Adv. Est.) |
2023-24 (3rd Adv. Est.) |
|
Area (in Million Ha) |
28.44 |
28.63 |
28.98 |
|
Production (in Million Tonne) |
355.48 |
352.23 |
353.19 |
Growth in Fruit and Other Crop Production
Despite the overall decline in horticultural output, production of certain crops such as fruits, honey, flowers, plantation crops, spices, and aromatic & medicinal plants is expected to increase. Fruit production, in particular, is forecasted to rise by 2.29%, reaching 112.73 million tonnes. This growth is mainly attributed to an increase in the production of mango, banana, lime/lemon, grapes, and custard apples. On the other hand, the output of apples, sweet oranges, mandarins, guavas, litchis, pomegranates, and pineapples is predicted to decline.
Vegetable Production Sees Mixed Trends
Vegetable production in 2023-24 is estimated to reach 205.80 million tonnes. While an increase is expected in crops such as tomato, cabbage, cauliflower, tapioca, bottle gourd, pumpkin, carrot, cucumber, bitter gourd, Parwal, and okra, several key vegetables are projected to decline in production. Potato production is expected to decrease, with estimates indicating 570.49 lakh tonnes, mainly due to lower outputs in Bihar and West Bengal.
Similarly, onion production is forecasted at 242.44 lakh tonnes. However, the tomato harvest is expected to rise by 4.38%, reaching 213.20 lakh tonnes compared to last year’s 204.25 lakh tonnes.
