Fruit and vegetable production rose significantly in India in the last financial year, according to the country’s agriculture minister.
Over the 2010/11 financial year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March in India, vegetable production rose 5.8 per cent to 141m tonnes, Minister of State for Agriculture Arun Yadav told the Rajya Sabha, the Indian parliament in a written reply.
Fruit production over the 12 month period rose 4.8 per cent, from 72m tonnes in 2009/10 to 75m tonnes in 2010/11.
In 2008/09, said Mr Yadav, 1.69 per cent of total vegetable production was exported, as was 0.69 per cent of fruit production.
Mr Yadav also noted the ministry was currently working on two schemes to develop national horticultural production; the Horticulture Mission for North-East and Himalayan States (HMNEH) and the National Horticulture Mission (NHM).
