India's foodgrain production in 2008-09 to touch 228 million tonnes 

news

12 February 2009

Total foodgrain production in the country is estimated to be around 227.88 million tonnes
comprising 98.89 million tonnes of rice, 77.78 million tonnes of wheat, 36.96 million
tonnes of coarse cereals and 14.25 million tonnes of pulses, as per advance estimates of the
agriculture ministry.

Oilseeds production during 2008-09 is estimated at 25.96 million tonnes with groundnut
estimated at 6.62 million tonnes, soyabean at 9.05 million tonnes and rapeseed and mustard
at 6.98 million tonnes.

Production of cotton is estimated at 22.17 million bales of 170 kg each. Production of

sugarcane is estimated at 290.45 million tonnes during 2008-09.

As compared to 2007-08, rice production is estimated to increase by about 21.96   lakh

tonnes, which is an all-time record; gram production is estimated to increase by 7.89 lakh
tonnes, rapeseed and mustard by 11.42 lakh tonnes and jute by about 0.34 lakh tonnes.

The latest assessment is based on feedback received from the states and validated with the
information available from other sources.

The estimated production of various crops as per the 2nd Advance Estimates for 2008-09
vis-à-vis final estimates for 2007-08 are given below:

(Million Tonnes)
2008-09 2007-08 Change
Crops Season 2nd Final
Advance Absolute Percent
Estimates
Estimate
1 2 3 4 5 (=3-4) 6
Foodgrains
Kharif 85.45 82.66 2.79 3.38
Rice Rabi 13.44 14.03 -0.59 -4.21
Total 98.89 96.69 2.20 2.28
Wheat Rabi 77.78 78.57 -0.79 -1.01
Coarse Cereals Kharif 27.69 31.89 -4.20 -13.17
 Rabi 9.27 8.86 0.41 4.63
Total 36.96 40.75 -3.79 -9.30
Major Coarse Cereals
Kharif 3.06 4.11 -1.05 -25.55
Jowar Rabi 4.18 3.82 0.36 9.42
Total 7.24 7.93 -0.69 -8.70
Bajra Kharif 8.85 9.97 -1.12 -11.23
Kharif 13.40 15.11 -1.71 -11.32
Maize Rabi 3.64 3.85 -0.21 -5.45
Total 17.04 18.96 -1.92 -10.13
Pulses
Tur Kharif 2.47 3.08 -0.61 -19.81
Other Kharif Kharif 2.35 3.33 -0.98 -29.43
Pulses
Gram Rabi 6.54 5.75 0.79 13.74
Other Rabi Rabi 2.89 2.61 0.28 10.73
Pulses
Kharif 4.82 6.40 -1.58 -24.69
Total Pulses Rabi 9.43 8.36 1.07 12.80
Total 14.25 14.76 -0.51 -3.46
Kharif 117.96 120.96 -3.00 -2.48
Total Foodgrains Rabi 109.92 109.82 0.10 0.09
Total 227.88 230.78 -2.90 -1.26
Commercial Crops
Kharif 16.32 20.72 -4.40 -21.24
Nine Oilseeds Rabi 9.64 9.04 0.60 6.64
Total 25.96 29.76 -3.80 -12.77
Major Oilseeds
Kharif 5.05 7.36 -2.31 -31.39
Groundnut Rabi 1.57 1.82 -0.25 -13.74
Total 6.62 9.18 -2.56 -27.89
Soyabean Kharif 9.05 10.97 -1.92 -17.50
Rapeseed & Rabi 6.98 5.83 1.15 19.73
Mustard
Sunflower Kharif 0.33 0.46 -0.13 -28.26
Rabi 0.78 1.00 -0.22 -22.00
 Total 1.11 1.46 -0.35 -23.97
Sugarcane Total 290.45 348.19 -57.74 -16.58
Cotton # Total 22.17 25.88 -3.71 -14.34
Jute $ Total 10.25 10.22 0.03 0.29
Mesta $ Total 0.78 0.99 -0.21 -21.21
# Million bales of 170 kg each. $ Million bales of 180 kg each

India is an agriculture based country. Hundreds of fruits and vegetables types are
grown in all parts of India. Fresh fruit and vegetable reach small scale fruits
vegetables suppliers, they are then sent to local markets as well as fruits and
vegetables exporters. Last decades have seen the number of Indian fruit vegetables
suppliers and fruits vegetables exporters rising to an all time high. Especially there
has been a steep rise in the number of vegetable exporters.

The total production of fruits and vegetables in the world is around 370 MT. India
ranks first in the world with an annual output of 32 MT. While there are almost 180
families of fruits that are grown all over the world, citrus fruits constitute around 20%
of world’s total fruit production. Major Indian fruits consist of mango, banana, citrus
fruits, apple, guava, papaya, pineapple and grapes. The fruits are processed into
various products such as fruit juices & concentrates, canned fruit, dehydrated fruit,
jams & jellies etc.

India with its current production of around 32 million MT of fruit, accounts for about
8% of the world’s fruit production. The diverse agro-climatic zones the country make
it possible to grow almost all varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables in India. The fruit
production in India has recorded a growth rate of 3.9%, whereas the fruit processing
sector has grown at about 20% per annum. However, the growth rates have been
extensively higher for frozen fruits & vegetables (121%) and dehydrated fruits &
vegetables (24%). There exist over 4000 fruit processing units in India with an
aggregate capacity of more than 12 lakh MT (less than 4% of total fruits produced). It
is estimated that around 20% of the production of processed fruits is meant for
exports, the rest caters to the defense, institutional sectors and household
consumption, Mango and mango-based products constitute 50% of exports.

India is the second largest producer of vegetables in the world (ranks next to China)
and accounts for about 15% of the world’s production of vegetables. The current
production level is over 71 million MT and the total area under vegetable cultivation
is around 6.2 million hectares which is about 3% of the total area under cultivation in
the country. In case of vegetables, potato, tomato, onion, cabbage and cauliflower
account for around 60% of the total vegetable production in the country. Vegetables
are typically grown in India in field conditions, the concept is opposed to the
cultivation of vegetables in green houses as practiced in developed countries for
high yields.
The fruit and vegetable processing industry in India is highly decentralized. A large
number of units are in the cottage/home scale and small scale sector, having small
capacities upto 250 tonnes/annum. But big Indian and multinational companies in the
sector have large capacities in the range of 30 tonnes per hour or so. Since
liberalisation and withdrawal of excise duty on fruit and vegetable products there has
been significant rise in the growth rate of the industry.

Fruits and Vegetables

Introduction
The fruit and vegetable processing industry in India is highly decentralized having wide
capacities. The diverse agro- climatic zones make it possible to grow almost all varieties
of fresh fruits and green vegetables in India. India is the second largest producer
of fresh vegetablesin the world (ranks next to China) and accounts for about 15% of
the world’s production of vegetables.

Production area
Vegetables are typically grown in India in field conditions, the concept is opposed to the cultivation of vegetables in
green houses as practiced in developed countries for high yields. The fruits and vegetables sconsidered important by
the horticulture board of India are mostly grown in the areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, hilly regions of
North Uttar Pradesh,Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Punjab, Tripura, West Bengal and Orissa.

Growth promotional activities

Since liberalization and withdrawal of excise duty on fruit and vegetable products there has been
significant rise in the growth rate of the industry Out of 370 million tons of fruit production in the
world, India accounts for 30 million tons. No industrial license is required for setting up F & V P
industries, setting-up 100% EOUs require specific Govt. approvals. Many subsidies, irrigation plans,
loans, pre and post harvesting schemes led to the following figures of production.

Fruit & vegetable Total production M. T India's production status

Mango 10 million tons World's largest producer
Banana 7 million tons World's largest producer
Pineapple 12.6% of world production World's 4th largest producer
Oranges 6.3% of world production World's 5th largest producer
Grapes - World record in productivity
Onion - World's 2nd largest producer
Cauliflower World's 3rd largest producer

Of the 456 million tons of vegetable produced in the world, India’s share is 59 million tons. All taken together, India’s
share of the world’s vegetable market is 17 per cent. Presently, the horticultural crops covers 13.6 million hectares,
i.e. roughly 7 per cent of the gross cropped area and contributes 18-20 per cent of the gross value of India’s
agricultural output.