India’s onion production expected to fall by over 15%; potato production by 2%

Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare releases First Advance Estimates of horticultural crops for 2023-24
Photo: Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava/ CSE
Photo: Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava/ CSE
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Onion production is expected to decline by about 15 per cent and potato by 2 per cent, according to the First Advance Estimates of horticultural crops for 2023-24 released by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on March 7, 2024.

Onion production in 2023-24 is expected to be around 25.47 million tonnes (MT), compared to the previous year’s production of about 30.21 MT, according to an official release. The production of onion this year may thus be less than last year.

According to the release, production may be lower at 3.43 MT in Maharashtra, 0.99 MT in Karnataka, 0.35 MT in Andhra Pradesh and 0.31 MT in Rajasthan this year.

Similarly, potato production in 2023-24 is expected to be around 58.99 MT, as against 60.14 MT last year, due to a shortfall in West Bengal over the previous year.

India’s horticulture production in 2023-24 according to the 1st Advance Estimates is estimated to be about 355.25 MT, the release said. The area under horticulture cultivation in 2023-24 will increase 1.15 per cent to 0.33 million hectares (mha) according to the First Advance Estimate over the Final Estimate 2022-23. Fruit production is pegged at 112.08 MT, mainly on account of increase in production of banana, orange and mango.

Similarly, production of vegetables is estimated to be about 209.39 MT. The production of cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin, tapioca, tomato and other vegetables is expected to increase.

Tomato production is expected to be around 20.83 MT, as compared to last year’s 20.43 MT, the release said.

Final Estimates

Horticulture production in the country in 2022-23 is estimated to be around 355.48 MT as per the year’s Final Estimates. This is an increase of about 2.39 per cent over 2021-22. Similarly, an increase of 1.41 per cent or 0.40 mha area has been registered in the 2022-23 Final Estimates, as compared to 2021-22.

According to the release, the production of fruits is estimated to be 110.21 MT in 2022-23 (Final Estimates), mainly due to increase in the production of apples, bananas, grapes, mangoes and watermelons.

At the same time, the production of vegetables has increased from 209.14 MT in 2021-22 to 212.55 MT in 2022-23 as per the Final Estimates. This is mainly due to the recorded increase in all vegetables except chilli (green), onion, radish, tapioca and tomato.

Onion production in 2022-23 (Final Estimates) is estimated to be 30.21 MT, as compared to 31.69 MT in 2021-22. Potato production in 2022-23 (Final Estimates) is estimated to be around 60.14 MT, as compared to an estimated 56.18 MT for 2021-22.

Further, tomato production according to the 2022-23 Final Estimates is around 20.425 MT. It was 20.69 MT in 2021-22.

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