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1. WHAT IS horticulture AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
3. WHAT ARE THE MAJOR BENEFITS OF HORTICULTURE?
1. Why is horticulture gaining importance in India?
Because it provides higher incomes, more jobs, and better nutrition compared to traditional cereal farming.
2. What are the main risks in horticulture?
The biggest risks include climate variability, perishability of crops, and high price volatility.
3. How can post-harvest losses be reduced?
By strengthening cold chains, using refrigerated transport, and investing in agro-processing facilities.
4. What role do exports play in horticulture?
Exports provide access to premium markets, but farmers and exporters face challenges such as tariffs and protectionist trade policies. Diversifying markets and branding products with GI tags can improve competitiveness.
5. How does horticulture benefit rural society?
It enhances farm incomes, creates employment opportunities, improves nutrition, and reduces rural distress by diversifying agricultural activities.
Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that focuses on the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plantation crops. Unlike staple cereals, horticultural crops provide higher returns per hectare, create more rural employment due to their labour-intensive nature, and play a crucial role in ensuring nutrition security. India is the world’s second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables after China, which highlights its global significance.
2. HOW IS THE SHIFT HAPPENING IN INDIA?
In India, small and marginal farmers—who form the majority of the agricultural workforce—are gradually shifting land from cereal crops to horticulture. This transformation is largely driven by rising consumer demand for fruits and vegetables, influenced by higher incomes, changing dietary habits, and increasing health awareness.
2. HOW IS THE SHIFT HAPPENING IN INDIA?
In India, small and marginal farmers—who form the majority of the agricultural workforce—are gradually shifting land from cereal crops to horticulture. This transformation is largely driven by rising consumer demand for fruits and vegetables, influenced by higher incomes, changing dietary habits, and increasing health awareness.
3. WHAT ARE THE MAJOR BENEFITS OF HORTICULTURE?
- Higher incomes: Fruits and vegetables usually fetch better prices than cereals.
- Employment generation: Labour-intensive activities such as harvesting, sorting, and packaging create more jobs.
- Nutrition security: Greater availability of fruits and vegetables improves dietary diversity and health.
- Export potential: Crops like mangoes, oranges, and grapes enjoy strong international demand.
4. WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FACED?
- Stagnant yields: Productivity of crops such as grapes and sapota has remained stagnant or declined between 1992–2022.
- Climate variability: Unseasonal rains and extreme weather events damage highly perishable crops.
- Market volatility: Price fluctuations, especially in tomatoes, onions, and potatoes, affect both farmers and consumers.
- Post-harvest losses: India loses produce worth around ₹1.5 trillion annually due to inadequate cold storage, poor transport, and weak supply chains.
- Trade barriers: Exporters face risks from tariffs and protectionist policies in international markets.
5. WHAT SOLUTIONS ARE SUGGESTED?
- Technology adoption: Use of weather forecasts, crop advisories, and intercropping methods to reduce risks.
- Infrastructure development: Building cold storage, refrigerated transport, and agro-processing units to minimise wastage and extend shelf life.
- Institutional support: Strengthening Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), promoting digital platforms for price discovery, and ensuring fair contract farming practices.
- Research and investment: More public and private investment in research, innovation, and extension services to improve productivity.
- Export strategy: Diversifying export destinations (West Asia, Africa, Southeast Asia) and promoting premium products with Geographical Indication (GI) tags.
6. WHAT IS THE FUTURE PROSPECT?
With the right mix of technology, policy support, and efficient market systems, horticulture can emerge as a powerful growth engine for Indian agriculture. While it should not completely replace staple crops, it can effectively complement them by strengthening resilience, creating jobs, and improving the nation’s nutritional standards.
FAQs
1. Why is horticulture gaining importance in India?
Because it provides higher incomes, more jobs, and better nutrition compared to traditional cereal farming.
2. What are the main risks in horticulture?
The biggest risks include climate variability, perishability of crops, and high price volatility.
3. How can post-harvest losses be reduced?
By strengthening cold chains, using refrigerated transport, and investing in agro-processing facilities.
4. What role do exports play in horticulture?
Exports provide access to premium markets, but farmers and exporters face challenges such as tariffs and protectionist trade policies. Diversifying markets and branding products with GI tags can improve competitiveness.
5. How does horticulture benefit rural society?
It enhances farm incomes, creates employment opportunities, improves nutrition, and reduces rural distress by diversifying agricultural activities.
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