Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Horticulture crops set a new record in 2024–25 — full report inside

The Union Minister of Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has released the Third Advance Estimates for the area and production of horticulture crops for the year 2024–25. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s agriculture and horticulture sectors are achieving new milestones, and the results of farmers’ hard work are now clearly visible across the country.

Significant Rise in Horticulture Area and Production:

According to the latest estimates, the total area under horticulture crops in India has increased by 4 lakh hectares, reaching 294.88 lakh hectares, compared to 290.86 lakh hectares last year. Horticulture production is also estimated to rise by 143.11 lakh tonnes, increasing from 3547.44 lakh tonnes to 3690.55 lakh tonnes.

Shri Chouhan stated that this remarkable growth reflects farmers’ dedication, continuous efforts by agricultural scientists, availability of improved seeds, adoption of modern technologies, and pro-farmer policies introduced by the government.

Major Growth in Fruit and Vegetable Production:

The minister highlighted substantial progress in the production of fruits and vegetables:

• Fruit production is expected to increase by 5.12%, reaching 1187.60 lakh tonnes.

Key contributors include banana, mango, watermelon, jackfruit, mandarin, papaya, and guava.

• Vegetable production is estimated to grow by 4.09%, touching 2156.84 lakh tonnes.

Notably, onion production is projected to rise sharply from 242.67 lakh tonnes to 307.89 lakh tonnes, marking a 26.88% increase.

• Potato production may also see a modest rise of 1.85%, with total output expected to reach 581.08 lakh tonnes.

Rise in Spices, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants

As per the advance estimates:

• Production of aromatic and medicinal plants is likely to reach 7.81 lakh tonnes (up from 7.26 lakh tonnes last year).
• Total spice production is estimated at 125.03 lakh tonnes, driven by higher output of garlic, ginger, and turmeric.

Last year’s spice production stood at 124.84 lakh tonnes.

• Tomato production is expected to reach 194.68 lakh tonnes.

India Moving Toward Global Leadership in Agriculture: The Agriculture Minister said that the government is rapidly integrating modern technologies into farming, enabling farmers to increase both productivity and income. With advancements in seed development, adoption of improved techniques, expansion of horticulture, and better market management, India is steadily progressing toward becoming a global leader in agriculture. He added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, continuous reforms are being implemented to strengthen the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, ensuring that every farmer becomes more prosperous, productive, and empowered.

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