India Bolsters Horticulture Sector to Boost Export

The horticulture sector, which contributes approximately 33 per cent of the gross value of agricultural GDP, is emerging as a key driver of economic growth and transitioning into an organised industry encompassing seed trading, value addition, and exports. India holds the second position globally in fruits and vegetable production, following China, as per data from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)

- Dipti Barve

In the fiscal year 2021-22, the country exported fresh fruits and vegetables worth Rs 11,412.50 crore, with major destinations including Bangladesh, UAE, Nepal, Netherlands, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the UK, Oman, and Qatar. The total horticulture production in 2021-22 stood at approximately 341.63 million tonnes, comprising fruit production of around 107.10 million tonnes and vegetable production of around 204.61 million tonnes. APEDA has set an export target of $23.56 billion for the agricultural and processed food products basket in 2022-23, with $13.77 billion already achieved in the first half of the fiscal. During April-September 2022, processed fruits and vegetables witnessed a remarkable growth of 42.42 per cent, while fresh fruits recorded a growth of 4 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.