Page 183 - CW E-Magazine (20-5-2025)

Special Report Special Report

Horticultural crops vital for food and nutritional mismatch in addition and eff ective in mitigating adverse eff ects optimizes application of plant nutrients
of climate change. Aberrant weather and minimize their losses.
removal of nutrients;
security  Multi-nutrient defi ciencies; conditions and rise in temperature
Diminishing useful micro-orga-
due to climate change threatens soil Conservation agriculture system

orticultural crops mainly around 33% of India’s agricultural DR. SURESH KUMAR CHAUDHARI nisms in soil; organic carbon stability underlining the Conservation agriculture system
comprise of fruit, vegetable, GDP (outputs), despite having only Director General  Least emphasis on conservation need for adoption of sustainable prac- based on minimal soil disturbance
Hplantation, spice, etc. They 21% of the cropped area. They are key The Fertiliser Association of India agriculture; tices such as mulching, cover cropping (no-till, minimum tillage) and permanent
are considered vital sources of food to providing essential vitamins, mine- E-mail: dg@faidelhi.org  Misuse of irrigation water; and and effi cient irrigation system. Use of soil cover (mulch crop residue) com-
and nutritional security. Before four rals and antioxidants, thereby improving  The serious problems of climate micro-irrigation system (drip irrigation bined with diversifi ed rotations with
decades, there used to be signifi cant dietary diversity and nutrition among  Human resource development; change. and sprinkler) is in vogue in horticul- legumes can mitigate negative eff ects

scarcity of fruits and vegetables in remote the population. They also play a vital  Creation of infrastructure for post- tural crops. Area under such system is of climate change. Cultivars tolerant

and rural India. These crops are now role in addressing the problems of un- harvest management; and Smart urban farming on rise. It has reached to a level of more to drought, heat, salinity/alkalinity and
available in every nook and corner of employment and environmental foot-  Marketing in consonance with The modern concept of smart urban than 14-mha in the country. Applica- biotic & abiotic stresses needs to be
the country. There has been increase in prints. The crops are also contributing comparative advantages of each farming makes use of modern indoor tion of 100% water-soluble fertilisers developed. Towards this, proper utiliza-
area of horticultural crops more than to foreign exchange earnings. Out of state/region and their diverse agro- farming techniques (soilless hydropo- through such system improves water tion of genetic resources and breeding
two times, except plantation crops (1.94 total export value of agricultural pro- climate conditions, etc. nics and aeroponics), vertical farming as well as fertiliser use effi ciency to a strategies is essential.
times) from 1991-92 to 2023-24. Pro- duce, i.e., Rs. 4,09,844-crore, share and controlled environment agriculture great extent. Such practices need to be
duction of fruits, vegetables, spices and of horticultural crops was about 22% The impact of the Government technology such as greenhouse/protec- given more impetus by all concerned. Integrated pest management
plantation crops showed an increase of in 2023-24. eff orts over the years substantiates the ted cultivation, where all environmental Integrated pest management helps in
294.6%, 254.0%, 557.1% and 135.6%, enormous growth in the sector. factors can be managed. Role of fertilisers judicious use of pesticides to minimize
respectively during the period. Government initiatives Use of fertilisers is crucial in boost- pest and disease outbreaks. Farmers
To give fi llip to production of these Budget measures Value chain based marketing sys- ing crop yields with better quality and need to be persuaded in this direction.
Enhancement in average productivity crops, Government of India established/ The Hon’ble Finance Minister in tem is an important component of such their role in horticultural crops cannot
There has been enhancement in created Coconut Development Board her Budget Speech presented in the farming. Youths and common citizens be undermined. Contribution of horti- Post-harvest technology
average productivity of these crops also in 1981; National Horticulture Board Parliament on 1 February 2025 stated are taking interest to adopt it. It should cultural crops in emissions of green- Post-harvest technology to mini-
by more than 1.5 times, except planta- in 1984; Horticulture Mission for North that a comprehensive programme to be popularized more in urban areas for house gases (due use of N fertilisers) mize the losses and extend the shelf-life
tion crops (1.21 times) during the East and Himalayan States (earlier promote production, effi cient supplies, vegetables, fl oriculture, medicinal and is less compared to cash and food grain of horticultural crops needs to be
period. As per the fi nal estimates issued known as Technology Mission for Inte- processing, and remunerative prices of aromatic plants. Farming of fl oriculture crops. However, there is a need to pro- emphasized by all concerned. Processing
by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers grated Development of Horticulture in fruits and vegetables for farmers will be among farmers is picking up in view of mote balanced fertilisation on soil test of the end products is an area of
Welfare for 2023-24, area of fruit, North Eastern States) in 2001-02; launched in partnership with the states. better returns to them. basis along with integrated nutrient better returns to farmers. Processing
vegetable, plantation and spice crops National Horticulture Mission in 2005-06; Appropriate institutional mechanisms management system comprising of units at the village level need to be
were reported to be 7.1-million hec- and Central Institute of Horticulture, for implementation and participation Use of digital technologies such as organic manures, city compost, bio- created with involvement of farmers.
tare (mha), 11.2-mha, 4.5-mha and Nagaland in 2006. The Directorate of of farmer producer organizations and thermal and infrared imaging; chloro- fertilisers, recycling of agri-wastes, green Creation of better cold storage facilities
5.0-mha, respectively. The corresponding Cashewnut Development, Kochi was cooperatives will be set up. She also phyll fl uorescence imaging; internet of manuring, legumes as cover crops, etc. will go a long way in keeping quality of
fi gures for production are 112.98-mt, established in 1966, and Cocoa was announced establishment of a Makhana things-based sensors; artifi cial intelli- This practice allows plants to withstand the perishable produce. Lastly, proper
207.21-mt, 17.67-mt and 12.48-mt. Up included in 1997 in the Directorate to Board in the state of Bihar to improve gence; machine learning; remote sens- extreme weather events like heat waves marketing set-up will also be desirable
to 2011-12, production of food grains promote these crops. These schemes production, processing, value addition, ing; etc. enables early stress detection, and droughts, thereby improving crop for better returns to the farmers.
used to be more compared to horticul- are under the Mission for Integrated and marketing of makhana. The people optimize resource use, and enhance resilience to climate change.
tural crops. Production of horticultural Development of Horticulture launched engaged in these activities will be crop resilience. [Indian Journal of Fertilisers, 21
crops in 2023-24 was 354.7-mt com- in 2014-15. organized into FPOs. Site-specifi c nutrient management (3): 178-179, March 2025].
pared to 332.3-mt of food grain. Share Improved management practices Chemical Weekly | Import-Export Data | Market Surveys
of diff erent crops in total area of these The major interventions of the Challenges facing agriculture along with leveraging digital technolo-
crops works out to be around 40%, Mission are: Agriculture as a whole has been gies and resilient crop varieties are Directories | Business Forums | Expositions
25%, 18%, 16% and 1% for vegetables,  To supply quality planting materials facing many challenges. To name a few: necessary to address climate induced
fruits, spices, plantation crops and through establishment of nurseries  Dwindling soil and water resources; challenges in horticultural crops. The only organisation in India catering exclusively to the needs of the entire chemical industry

aromatic & medicinal plants, respectively and tissue culture units;  Decline in soil health due to Contact:
during 2023-24.  Improvement in production, pro- decreasing level of organic matter/ Perennial horticultural crops play SEVAK PUBLICATIONS PVT. LTD.
ductivity through area expansion carbon in soil; an important role in carbon sequestra- 602-B, Godrej Coliseum, K.J. Somaiya Hospital Road,
Contribution to India’s agricultural and rejuvenation programmes;  Imbalance in use of fertilisers; tion, storing 25-100 times more bio- Behind Everard Nagar, Sion (E), Mumbai 400 022.
Phone: +91-22-24044471 / 72;
GDP  Promotion of technology and dis-  Non-adoption of integrated nutrient mass carbon than conventional crop- Email: admin@chemicalweekly.com
Horticultural crops account for semination; management supply system creating ping systems, which makes them more

182 Chemical Weekly May 20, 2025 Chemical Weekly May 20, 2025 183

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