Lok Sabha Question No. 1163 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-27
Subject: Surge in Horticultural Production
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Asaduddin Owaisi, Imtiaz Jaleel Syed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1163

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 TH  JULY, 2021

## SURGE IN HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTION

1163.  SHRI ASADUDDIN OAWISI: SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:-

- (a)  whether  after  seeing  a  record  surge  in  food  grain  production,  horticultural production  has  also  touched  a  record  high  of  327  million  tonnes  in  2020-21 outnumbering therein  food grain production;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  impact  of  shutdown  of  industrial production  and small entrepreneurs on increase in horticultural production;
- (d) if so, the details thereof ;
- (e) whether it is a fact that industrial labour force has been diverted to agriculture and migration  to  rural  areas  has  led  to  high  in  production  agricultural  and  horticultural produce; and
- (f) if so, the steps taken or being taken by the Government to improve procurement infrastructure to save the farmers from distress sale of record production?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी ( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b):  As per 2nd Advance Estimates, total Horticulture production for 2020-21 is estimated  to  be  329.86  Million  Tonne,  outnumbering  the  food  grain  production  of 305.44 Million Tonne.
- (c), (d) & (e):  The Horticulture production in the country has been steadily increasing over the  years due to pro-active policies and initiatives  of the Government  of India and the State Governments and improved crop production technologies & management practices. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of Horticulture for the last 5 years is a healthy 2.35%.

For  the  holistic  development  of  horticulture,  for  increasing  area,  production  and creation  of  post-harvest  infrastructure,  the  Government  is  implementing  Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in the State/UTs  since  2014-15.  Under  MIDH,  support  for  production  of  quality  planting material, area expansion of fruits, vegetables , spices and plantation crops, protected cultivation  and  creation   of  post  harvest  management  infrastructures,  training  & capacity building etc. of farmers are provided.

The projects proposals of State Governments for horticulture development are also supported under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana(RKVY) scheme.

The total Horticulture production in 2020-21 has increased to 329.86 Million Tonne (2 nd Advance Estimate) from 320.47 Million Tonne (2.83%) achieved in 2019-20, due to  a  number  of  factors  such  as  effective  implementation  of    Central  and  State Government schemes for Horticulture, increase in area coverage from 26.48 Million Ha.    to  27.23  Million  Ha.,  more  than  average  rainfall  in  2020-21  leading  to  better availability of water.

- (f): The Government implements the Market Intervention Scheme  (MIS) for procurement  of  agricultural  and  horticultural  commodities  which  are  perishable  in nature and are not covered under the Price Support Scheme (PSS). The objective of intervention is to protect the growers of these commodities from making distress sale in  the  event  of  a  bumper  crop  during  the  peak  arrival  period.  The  condition  is  that there should be either at least a 10 percent increase in production or a 10 percent decrease in the ruling market prices over the previous normal year. The scheme is implemented  at  the  request  of  a  State/UT  government  which  is  ready  to  bear  50 percent of the loss (25 percent in case of North-Eastern States), if any, incurred on its implementation.  The  extent  of  total  amount  of  loss  to  be  shared  on  a  50:50  basis between  the  Central  Government  and  the  State  Government  is  restricted  to  25 percent of the total procurement value which includes cost of the commodity procured plus  permitted  overhead  expenses.  Under  the  scheme,  in  accordance  with  MIS guidelines, a pre-determined quantity at the fixed Market Intervention Price (MIP) is procured by the agencies designated by the State Government for a fixed period or till the prices are stabilized above the MIP whichever is earlier.

In  order  to  promote  creation of  scientific  Storage  infrastructure  and   Marketing infrastructure  (other  than  Storage), the  Government  is implementing  a sub-scheme 'Agricultural  Marketing  Infrastructure  (AMI)'  of  Integrated  Scheme  for  Agricultural Marketing  (ISAM)  across  the  country.  The  rural  godowns  enable  small  farmers  to enhance their holding capacity in order to sell their produce at remunerative prices and  avoid  distress  sale.  AMI  is  demand  driven,  credit  linked,  back  ended  subsidy scheme.  Subsidy  support  @  25%  and  33.33%  is  available  for  beneficiaries  viz. Farmers,  Individuals,  Agri-preneurs,  Farmer  Producer  Organisations,  Cooperatives, state agencies etc.

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