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Horticulture In India-Part I

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India, with its wide variability of climate and soil, has good potential for growing a wide range of horticulture crops such as fruit, vegetables, potato, tropical tuber crops and mushrooms, ornamental crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices and plantation crops like coconut, cashewnut, cocoa, etc.

Since the mid-eighties, the Government identified horticultural crops as means of diversification for making agriculture more profitable through efficient land use, optimum utilization of natural resources and creating skilled employment for rural masses, especially women folk with the past efforts rewarding.

India has emerged as the largest producer of coconut, arecanut, cashew nut, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables. Among the new crops, kiwi, olive crops and oil palm have been successfully introduced for commercial cultivations.

The changing scenario encourages private investment to go for hi-tech horticulture with micro-propagation, protected cultivation, drip irrigation, fertigation, and integrated nutrients and pest management, besides making use of latest pot-harvest measures, particularly in the case of perishable commodities. As a result, horticulture crop production has moved from rural confines to commercial ventures.

Fruits

A large variety of fruits are grown in India, or those, mango, banana, citrus, pineapple, papaya, guava, sapota, jackfruit, litchi, and grape, among the tropical and sub-tropical fruits; apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot, almond and walnut among the temperate frits; and aonla, ber, pomegranate, anon, fig, phalsa among the arid zone fruits important. India accounts for about 10 percent of the production of fruits in world.

It lead the world in the production of mango, banana, sapota and acid lime and has recorded highest productivity in grape. Mango is the most important fruit covering about 39 percent of the area and accounts for 23 percent of total fruit production in the country. India’s share in world production of mango is about 54 percent.

Citrus ranks second in area and accounts for about 10 percent of total fruits in the country. Limes, lemons, sweet orange and mandarin, cover bulk of the area under this group of fruits. Banana ranks third in area covering about 13 percent of the total area. India occupies the first position in banana production of fruits like guava, papaya is about four percent and litchi is about one percent.

The arid zones of the country are potential areas for fruits like aonla, ber, pomegranate, annona. There has been a steady increase in the area and production of these fruits particularly aonla, ber and pomegranate in the country as a result of identification and development of suitable varieties and production technologies. In addition to these, date palm and fig cultivation are also finding favour in suitable areas.

Vegetables

More than 40 kinds of vegetables belonging to different groups, namely, solanaceous, cucurbitaceous, leguminous, cruciferous (cole crops), root crops and leafy vegetables are grown in India in tropical, subtropical and temperature regions. Important vegetabl crops grown in the country are tomato, onion, brinjal, cabbage, cauliflower, okra and peas.

India is next only to China in area and production of vegetables. India contributes about 13 percent to the world vegetable production and occupies first position in the production of cauliflower, second in onion and third in cabbage in world.

Spices

Spices constitute an important group of horticulture crops. India is known as the home of spices and produces a wide variety of spices like black pepper, cardamom (small and large), ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilly and large variety of tree and seed spices. Among various spices grown in the country, chilly is the most widely grown spice with a share in the total production of 33.7 percent.

The demand for chilly as a spice and its oleoresins as a natural colouring material is growing in the domestic as well as international market. Turmeric has a share of 21.6 percent in the total production of spices.

Plantation Crops

Other than tea, coffee and rubber, rest of the crops which are gown for commercial purpose in the country are covered under plantation crops which include coconut, arecanut, cashew nut, cocoa, etc.

Coconut is an important crop and about 10 million people depend on coconut cultivation, processing and related activities. In India, coconut is grown mainly along the coastal States of the country and also in the North eastern region.

The coir obtained from processing coconut husk is of high commercial value. Beside coir, shell based products have also gained entry into the national international markets. The coir pith made into brick like structure is now used for raising horticultural plants especially in greenhouses.

Cashew nut assumes an important place in the Indian economy. India produces. Indian produces 45 percent of the global production of cashew. Besides,, India is the largest producer, processor, consumer and exporter of cashew in the world.

Flowers

Though flower cultivation has been practiced in India since time immemorial, floriculture has blossomed into a viable business only in recent years. Considering the potential this sector has in generating income and employment opportunities, promoting greater involvement of women and enhancement of exports, it has been identified as an Extreme Focus Area for exports by the Government of India.

India is known for growing traditional flowers such as jasmine, marigold, chrysanthemum, tuberose, crossandra and aster. Commercial cultivation of cut flower such as rose, orchids, gladiolus, carnation, anthurium, gerbera and lilies has also become popular.

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Tags: arecanut, coconut, flowers, fruits, horticulture crops, hosticulture of india, international market, spice, vegetables