Horticulture Crops

Horticulture crops: [hortus (garden) and cultūra (cultivation)] – a branch of agriculture concerned with the cultivation, production and sale of fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and ornamental or exotic plants.

It is concerned with intensively cultured plants directly used by man for food, medicinal purposes and aesthetic gratification.

Did You know?

M.H. Marigowda is considered the Father of Indian Horticulture. He dedicated his life to the development of Horticulture in Karnataka. He was the director of the Department of Horticulture in the Karnataka Government, where he implemented various schemes to perfection. As a result, the horticulture activities were expanded to all 19 districts of Karnataka. His strategy included: Horticulture Produce Co-operative Marketing Society [HOPCOMS] and the Nurserymen’s Co-operative Society at Bangalore for the demonstration of new crops and technologies. Seed testing, soil testing and plant protection laboratories were started. He was a staunch advocate of “Dry Land Horticulture” and the principles and practices of these technologies were demonstrated in most of the farms started by him. Mixed cropping and Intercropping got a special fillip during his time.

Growing Popularity of Horticulture in India

There is a growing popularity of horticulture crops in India. Horticulture production has been doubled production in 20 years. Current Production is above 330 million tonnes, which is at an all-time high in 2021. After 2012-13, the amount of horticulture crops grown in India has surpassed the number of food-grain crops.

India is the 2^nd largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world with first rank in the production of Banana, Mango, Lime and Lemon, Papaya and Okra. India now produces more Horticulture crops than food grains in the country since 2012-13.

Crop	India’s Position	Varieties grown in India
Fruits	China (largest), India (2nd); India (largest producer of tropical and temperate fruits)	Mangoes of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, UP and West Bengal; Oranges of Nagpur, Cherrapunjee; Bananas of Kerala, Mizoram, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu; Leechi and Guava of UP and Bihar; Pineapples of Megha; Grapes of Andhra Pradesh, Maha; Apples, Pears, apricots and walnuts of JK and Himachal Pradesh
Vegetable	India (13% of the world) is 2nd after China.	Important producer of peas, Cauliflower, Onion, Cabbage, Tomato, Brinjal and Potato.
Flowers	About 3 Million tonnes of flowers in 2023	Flowers are classified as either ‘Loose Flowers’ or ‘Cut Flowers’. It includes Marigolds, lotus, roses, Hibiscus etc.

Classification of Horticulture Crops

• Pomology:Planting, harvesting, storing, processing, and marketing of fruit and nut
• Olericulture:Producing and marketing
• Arboriculture:Study, selection and care of individual trees, shrubs or other perennial woody plants.
• Sericulture: Rearing Silkworms.
• Viticulture: Cultivation of grapes
• Ornamental Horticulture:It has two subparts-
  • Floriculture:Production, use and marketing of floral crops.
  • Landscape Horticulture:Production and marketing of plants used to beautify the outdoor environment.

Problems of Horticulture

1. Perishable – 40% never reach market
2. The market varies due to climate and international price pressures
3. Poor government incentive structure
4. Poor downstream infra – for storage and processing.

Advantages of Horticulture for farmers:

In the last two decades (between 2000-20), food-grain production has increased by 50% whereas horticulture production has doubled. This can be due to various reasons:

• Comfortable for small farmers: Ex: Vegetables can be grown in smaller areas and in between seasons.
• Water utilisationis very low, minimising the risk of crop failure.
• Easy adoption of technology: Technology forenhancing water and nutrient efficiency through micro irrigation and fertigation has been developed for several horticultural crops.
• Multiple cropping: to getmore yield and to use the maximum of the fertilisers.
• More value addition: Providesemployment possibilities across secondary and tertiary sectors through processing units, and therefore its greater market and higher margin.

Few long-term advantages

• Resilience to climate change: They can grow in a variety of weather conditions. The varieties tolerant/resistant to various biotic and abiotic stresses have been developed in different fruits, vegetables, and medicinal and aromatic plants.
• Balanced diet: Horticulture crops such as vegetables and fruits are rich in minerals and vitamins which would garner more stress as the concept of nutrition security takes hold.

North Eastern region has two important advantages —

• The northeastern region of India has a milder Climate and better rainfall than other places in the country.
• The untapped potential of the Northeast can be utilized for exotic fruit and vegetable production.

Government Initiatives for Horticulture Promotion:

• Horticulture Area Production Information System (HAPIS): a web-enabled information system by which data from the states/districts is reported, minimising the time lag and maximising the coverage area.
• Coordinated programme on Horticulture Assessment and MANagement using geoinformatics (CHAMAN): to develop a scientific methodology for estimation of area and production under horticulture crops throughRemote Sensing and Sample Survey Techniques.
• Improved Technologies/ Techniques:
  • Irrigation Techniques: Fertigation, micro-irrigation etc. developed for several horticulture crops.
  • Improved techniques for the production of
    • disease-free quality planting materials.
    • Micropropagation techniques have been standardizedfor various fruits and spices etc.
  • Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)are developed for various plants, especially medicinal.
  • Farm mechanization to increase harvesting and processing efficiency and reduce crop losshas been implemented by developing horticulturalists.
  • A low-cost cost environment-friendly cool chamberwas developed for the on-farm storage of fruits and vegetables.
  • Dissemination of technologies, region and crop-specific training and demonstration programsare being taken up.

Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)

It is being implemented by adopting an end-to-end approach for increasing the production of horticulture crops and reducing post-harvest losses.

Funding: 60:40 (Union: State) (except North Eastern and Himalayan states 90: 10).
It has five major schemes on horticulture-

• National Horticulture Mission (NHM)
• Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH)
• National Horticulture Board (NHB) – set upin 1984, Headquartered in Gurugram; the Objective is to improve the integrated development of the Horticulture industry and to help in coordinating, and sustaining the production and processing of fruits and vegetables.
• Coconut Development Board (CDB) and
• Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH), Nagaland

National Horticulture Mission (NHM) -2005:

It provides financial assistance is provided for the following major interventions/activities:

• Setting up of nurseries: tissue culture units for production of quality seed and planting material.
• Area expansione. Establishment of new orchards and gardens for fruits, vegetables, and flowers. · Rejuvenation of unproductive, old, and senile orchards.
• Protected cultivation, i.e. poly-house, green-house, etc, to improve productivity and grow off-season high-value vegetables and flowers.
• Organic farming and certification.
• Creation of water resource structures and watershed management.
• Bee-keeping for pollination.
• Horticulture Mechanization.
• Creation of Post-Harvest Management and Marketing infrastructure.
• Availability of quality seeds and planting material
• Baseline survey
• Area-based Annual and Perspective Plans based on end to end approach with backward and forward linkages
• Applied Research with a focus on the Region

This scheme runs on a demand-driven production based on a cluster approach and ensures the Involvement of Panchayati Raj institutions for its implementation.

Operation Green:

Announced in Budget 2018-19, Operation Green works on the pattern of Operation Flood (milk);

• The production and consumption centres will be linked properly and necessary logistics support will be created, to boost value addition in agriculture and allied products
• Nodal Agency: NAFED.
• Coverage:
  • Initially: three major vegetable crops of TOP (Tomato Onion and Potato)
  • Budget 2021-22: extended to 22 perishable products.

Price deficiency schemes –

Various state governments have launched an innovative scheme under which MSP is declared for the crops, including the Horticulture crops. If the farmers sell their crops in the market for a price lower than the MSP then the difference would be paid by the state government.

For example, the Haryana Government have launched the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana which covers 21 fruits.

Challenges in the Horticulture sector:

• Coverage under Minimum Support Price (MSP): Of the 23 crops under the MSP regime, not a single one is a horticulture crop.
• Awareness about the Schemes: The incentive mechanism under the National Horticulture mission is not as simple as MSP.
• Lack of good cold chain storage and transport networksto extend the life of perishable products.
• Very little Mechanization: it is tough to minimise the time restraints which makes it difficult to compete with ‘truck farming’ of Western countries.
• Higher input costs: in terms of irrigation, fertilizers and seeds.
• High wastage: around 40% of food is wasted in India according to FAO.
• High price fluctuations: For example, Onion prices are highly dependent on the right weather conditions and harvest can swing from Rs 10 to 100 in just a few months.
• Limited availability of market intelligence, mainly for exports makes it a tougher option to choose.

Way Forward:

• Investment in Technology: Such as refrigerated vans, train coaches etc. including specialized coaches in Kisan Rail.
• Investment in crop varieties: Including GM crops and high-yield varieties. Allowing private investors to introduce new varieties. Ex: Chips companies have introduced new potato varieties in India.
• Food fortification: this synergy can be found in the National Nutrition Mission and National Food Security Mission.
• Bioenergy and solid waste utilisationto make horticulture more efficient and eco-friendlier.
• We must aim to Plan, coordinate and monitor R&D programmesat the national level as well as to serve as a knowledge repository in the Horticulture sector.
• Private investment: allowing corporate farming, contract farming and removal of stock limits to allow private businesses to invest in India.

Conclusion: The diversification in the agricultural sector mainly of the horticulture sector has become a major source of positive growth. India can emerge as a far bigger producer and exporter if sufficient emphasis is given to resource allocation, infrastructure development, more R&D, technological upgradation and a better policy framework for the the horticulture sector. The horticulture sector with strong forward and backward linkages as an organised industry can stimulate and sustain growth.

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