How Did India’s Horticulture Output Jump to 367.72 Million Tonnes?

New Delhi, Aug 31 (NationPress) India’s horticulture sector has seen remarkable growth over the last decade, fueled by the government's strategic initiative to shift towards high-value agriculture with the aim of doubling farmers’ income across the nation.

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

In 2023–24, fruit production increased from 866 lakh metric tonnes in 2014–15 to 1,129.7 lakh metric tonnes, indicating approximately a 30% growth. Similarly, vegetable production rose from 1,694.7 lakh metric tonnes to 2,072 lakh metric tonnes during the same period, a growth of 22%. Productivity has also improved, with fruit yields climbing from 14.17 to 15.80 metric tonnes per hectare and vegetables from 17.76 to 18.40 metric tonnes per hectare.

A recent official statement highlighted, "The horticulture sector has made significant strides over the years through targeted government interventions aimed at overcoming major challenges to unlock the sector's full potential. The emphasis remains on enhancing crop quality, boosting production, and improving farmers' market access."

Since 2014–15, the government has been executing the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, a centrally sponsored initiative designed to promote holistic growth in horticulture across all states and Union Territories.

To gauge the outcomes, various impact assessment studies have been conducted by independent agencies, including NITI Aayog. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare regularly monitors and evaluates the scheme in diverse regions. Feedback from these assessments has led to the restructuring of the program, introducing new components to tackle field-level challenges.

Key initiatives under this scheme include establishing Centres of Excellence in Horticulture for showcasing and training in the latest technologies, along with the Horticulture Cluster Development Programme which capitalizes on the geographical strengths of different horticulture clusters.

A clean plant program has also been initiated to provide high-quality, disease-free planting materials, further strengthening India’s position in the global horticulture trade.

The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture offers both financial and technical assistance to States and Union Territories for various activities aimed at fortifying the sector. This includes establishing nurseries and tissue culture units to produce superior seeds and planting materials.

The expansion of cultivation areas is being promoted through the establishment of new orchards and gardens for fruits, vegetables, and flowers, along with the rejuvenation of old and unproductive orchards. Additionally, there is a push for protected cultivation using facilities like polyhouses and greenhouses to enhance the production of high-value vegetables and flowers, including off-season varieties.

Moreover, the government encourages organic farming and certification to promote sustainable, chemical-free cultivation practices, as well as the creation of water resource structures and watershed management systems to support irrigation.

Significant efforts have also been made to advance post-harvest management and marketing infrastructure, which encompasses 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.