Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
4.3
HORTICULTURE SCENARIO OF THE EASTERN INDIA
Horticultural scenario of the eastern region is undergoing sea change in
recent years. Fruits and vegetable crops cover more than 70% of the total
area under horticulture. The area under fruit crop is 1.20 million ha with an
average productivity of 11.07 t/ha compared to national average of 11.3 t/
ha. The total fruit production in eastern India is 13.39 million tons, which
contribute 18.73% of total fruit production at national level. The last five
years has witnessed 28.74% increase in total area under fruits and 39.63%
increase total fruit production in eastern India. The increase in productivity
in eastern India during the last five years was 10.6% as compared to 9.15%
at national level. The higher rate of increase in productivity of fruit crops
in eastern India can be attributed to higher rate of increase in the contribu-
tion of crops like banana (having high productivity level of 34.31 t/ha)
to the total fruit production in the eastern states as compared to national
level. At present, the area under vegetable production in eastern India is
3.97 million ha with a total production of 64.26 million tons. The average
productivity of vegetable crops in eastern India is 16.17 t/ha as compared
to national average of 16.74 t/ha. Eastern India contributes 48.06% of total
vegetable production in the country. Last five years have witnessed 5.99%
increase in area under vegetable crops and 13.78% increase in production
of vegetable crops in eastern India. The productivity increase during the
last five years in eastern India is 7.35% as compared to 6.84% at national
level. This can be attributed to large-scale introduction of improved va-
rieties of different vegetable crops along with high input based produc-
tion technologies by the farmers. Share of potato to total vegetable crop
production in eastern India is maximum. Hence, higher contribution of
crops like potato (having high productivity level of 19.90 t/ha) to total
vegetable production in eastern India can also be attributed to higher rate
of increase in average productivity of vegetable crops in eastern India over
that at national level. With respect to flower crops, the total area in eastern
India is 0.0385 million ha with a total production of 0.1245 million tons of
loose flowers and 3028.35 million numbers of cut flowers. Eastern India
contributes 12.2% and 45.42% of total loose flowers and cut flowers pro-
duced in the country. The last five years have witnessed marked increase
in the area and production of flowers both in eastern India and at National
level. The area under floriculture crops increased by 59.14% in eastern
India as compared to 41.31% at national level whereas the production of
