A second advance estimate of horticulture crop and area data shows that a general increase in the production of fruits, vegetables, and honey is expected, while there will be a decrease in the production of spices, flowers, aromatics, and medicinal plants and plantation crops over the previous year.
However, overall total horticulture production in 2021-22 is estimated to be 341.63 million tons (MT), an increase of about 7.03 MT or 2.10 percent over the 2020-21 production, as per the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare data.
Onion production is estimated to be 31.70 MT against 26.64 MT in 2020-21, potato production is expected to be 53.58 MT compared to 56.17 MT in 2020-21, while tomato production is expected to be 20.34 MT compared to 21.18 MT in 2020-21, the data showed.
For green chilies, it is expected to be 4.2 MT this year compared to 4.3 MT last year, while production of red chilies (dried) is expected to be 1.8 MT versus 2 MT last year.
Asked if these estimates would have an impact on the market prices, Potato and Onion Merchants Association head Rajendra Sharma said: "These are figures up to March 2022 that the government is releasing only now. People have finished consuming the produce from up to March. Whatever we now have in the market is from April, May, and June, so it should not make a difference."
Source: daijiworld.com