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 vegetables in 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.
Vegetable & Fruit Types
According to national horticulture board the main fruits and vegetables
grown in India are Apple, Banana, Lime / Lemon, Mosambi, Orange
(Mandarin), Grapes, Mango, Papaya, Brinjal, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Okra,
Onion, Peas, Potato and Tomato. In case of vegetables, potato, tomato,
onion, cabbage and cauliflower account for around 60% of the total
vegetable production in the country.
