India's horticulture output leaps to 367.72 million tonnes

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) India’s horticulture sector recorded impressive growth over the past decade, driven by the government’s strategy to diversify into high-value agriculture as part of the goal to double farmers’ income in the country.

As of August 2025, for 2024-25 (second advanced estimates), horticulture production increased from 280.70 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 367.72 million tonnes. This includes fruit production of 114.51 million tonnes, vegetable production of 219.67 million tonnes, and 33.54 million tonnes from other horticulture crops.

In 2023–24, fruit production rose from 866 lakh metric tonnes in 2014–15 to 1,129.7 lakh metric tonnes, reflecting an increase of about 30 per cent. Vegetable production also grew from 1,694.7 lakh metric tonnes to 2,072 lakh metric tonnes during the same period, marking a rise of 22 per cent. Productivity levels improved as well, with fruits increasing from 14.17 to 15.80 metric tonnes per hectare and vegetables from 17.76 to 18.40 metric tonnes per hectare.

"The horticulture sector has witnessed notable progress over the years through targeted government schemes and initiatives that aim to tackle key challenges while unlocking the sector’s full potential. The focus remains on enhancing crop quality, increasing production and improving farmers’ access to markets," an official statement issued on Sunday said.

The government has been implementing the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture since 2014–15. This centrally sponsored scheme aims to ensure the holistic growth of the horticulture sector in all states and Union Territories.

To evaluate the results, several impact assessment studies have been carried out through independent agencies, including NITI Aayog. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare also undertakes regular monitoring and evaluation of the scheme in different regions. Based on the feedback from these reviews, the scheme has been restructured with changes and new components to address field-level challenges.

The key initiatives under the scheme include establishing Centres of Excellence in Horticulture for demonstration and training on the latest technologies in the field, and the Horticulture Cluster Development Programme, designed to make use of the geographical strengths of horticulture clusters.

Besides, a clean plant programme has been launched for providing high-quality, disease-free planting material to strengthen India’s position in the global horticulture trade.

Under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, financial and technical support is also extended to States and Union Territories for a wide range of activities aimed at strengthening the sector. The main interventions include the establishment of nurseries and tissue culture units to produce high-quality seeds and planting material.

The expansion of cultivation areas by setting up new orchards and gardens for fruits, vegetables, and flowers, along with the rejuvenation of old and unproductive orchards, has also been taken u,p along with the promotion of protected cultivation through facilities such as polyhouses and greenhouses, enabling the production of high-value vegetables and flowers, including off-season varieties.

Besides, encouragement of organic farming and certification to promote sustainable and chemical-free cultivation practice and creation of water resource structures and watershed management systems to support irrigation have been taken up.

The government has also promoted the development of post-harvest management and marketing infrastructure, which includes pack houses, integrated pack houses, pre-cooling units, staging cold rooms, cold storages, controlled atmosphere storage, refrigerated transport, mobile and primary processing units, ripening chambers, and integrated cold chain systems.

--IANS

sps/vd