Revitalization of Rivers in India Draft Policy - Isha Guru Jaggi Vasudev

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
HORTICULTURE SECTOR – GROWTH TRENDS
In 2014-15, production of fruits and vegetables (284 million tonnes)
overtook India’s food grain production (253 million tonnes) by 31 million
tonnes. This was the third straight year when horticulture output
outstripped that of food grains. As Figure 1 shows, food grain production
dropped in drought years (2002, 2004, 2009, 2014), while horticulture
production was either unaffected or stayed on its upward growth
trajectory. 41 A detailed note on the horticulture sector and its importance
is presented in Annexure 15.
Between 1991-92 and 2009-10, there has been a general increase in
production of fruits, vegetables, spices and plantation crops. However,
production of vegetables has recorded very high levels of fluctuations.
BOX 2: SUPPLY AND DEMAND PROSPECTS FOR FRUITS
Despite favorable demand and supply side factors, area under
cultivation of fruits and vegetables has remained below 10% in the
country. Even with one tenth share in area, fruits and vegetables
contribute to more than one fourth of the earnings from the crop sector.
Fruits and vegetables give 4-10 times the return as compared to other
crop groups, namely cereals, pulses and oilseeds. A study on sources of
growth indicate that diversification towards horticultural crops is the
most powerful factor in raising the growth rate of GDP in agriculture.
A 1% shift in area from non-horticultural crops to horticultural crops
adds 0.46 percentage points to the growth rate of the agriculture sector.
Due to changes in taste, preferences and food habits, the consumption
pattern in India has been shifting towards fruits and vegetables. Such
changes are also happening globally. Studies on food demand indicate
that 1% increase in per capita overall consumption expenditure,
results in 1.9% and 1.02% increase in demand for fruits and vegetables,
respectively. Thus, per capita intake of fruits and vegetables in the
country will keep rising in coming years. Moreover, there is large
deficiency of these items in the Indian diet. India’s import of fruits is
rising by 20% per year. All these indicators suggest that demand-side
prospects for fruits and vegetables are very bright. 45
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