Lok Sabha Question No. 1564 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-08
Subject: Fruit Production
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: MEENAKASHI LEKHI

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1564

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  8 TH  DECEMBER, 2015

## FRUIT PRODUCTION

1564.      SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं किसान िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Uttarakhand and North-Eastern States are far behind in fruit production in  comparison  to  Himachal  Pradesh  and  Jammu  &  Kashmir  despite  the  fact  that  the topography and climatic conditions of these States are almost identical;
- (b) if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (c) whether the  Government  has  initiated  any  programme/scheme  to  increase  the fruit production in these States which may further improve the economic condition of the farmers?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं किसान िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ Àã·¾ã ½ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI MOHANBHAI KUNDARIA )

- (a): As  per  the  information  available  from  the  States,  the  State  of  Assam  is  the largest producer of Fruits during 2014-15 amongst the Northeast and Himalayan States and  Uttarakhand  is  marginally  higher  in  Fruit  production  as  compared  to  Himachal Pradesh.  The  production  of  Fruits  in  these  States  during  the  said  period  is  given  at Annexure-I.
- (b): Fruit  production in Uttarakhand and other North-Eastern States is lesser since, the  area  under  fruit  crops  is  lower  as  compared  to  Himachal  Pradesh  and  Jammu  & Kashmir.  Other  reasons  are  mono-cropping  pattern  and  subsistence  farming  done  in these  States.
- (c): The Government has initiated a number of programmes/schemes to increase the fruit production in these States which may further improve the economic condition of the farmer. Mission for Integrated Development  of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored  Scheme  is  being  implemented  during  XII  Plan  w.e.f.  2014-15,  for  holistic growth of the horticulture sector including fruits. Mission subsumes National Horticulture Mission  (NHM),  Horticulture  Mission  for  North  East  &  Himalayan  States  (HMNEH), National Bamboo  Mission (NBM), National Horticulture Board (NHB), Coconut Development  Board  (CDB)  and  Central  Institute  for  Horticulture  (CIH),  Nagaland.  All States including North Eastern states and UTs are covered under MIDH.

Production of Fruits in Uttarakhand, NE States, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

| S.No.   | States            | 2014-15 (3 rd Adv. Estimate)   | 2014-15 (3 rd Adv. Estimate)   |
|---------|-------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|         |                   | Area ('000Ha.)                 | Production (in '000 Tonnes)    |
| 1       | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | 90.0                           | 331.40                         |
| 2       | ASSAM             | 155.5                          | 2242.74                        |
| 3       | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | 220.7                          | 751.94                         |
| 4       | JAMMU & KASHMIR   | 352.4                          | 1542.68                        |
| 5       | MANIPUR           | 55.6                           | 533.60                         |
| 6       | MEGHALAYA         | 36.3                           | 377.25                         |
| 7       | MIZORAM           | 60.3                           | 350.91                         |
| 8       | NAGALAND          | 40.6                           | 411.00                         |
| 9       | SIKKIM            | 17.4                           | 19.7                           |
| 10      | TRIPURA           | 71.9                           | 805.77                         |
| 11      | UTTARAKHAND       | 202.3                          | 761.96                         |

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