Onion production pegged up 16.81% to 31.12 mn tonne in 2022-23: Agriculture Ministry

The country's onion production is estimated to increase by 16.81 per cent to 31.12 million tonne in the crop year beginning July 2022 on likely increase in acreage, as per the agriculture ministry data released on Monday.

The country had harvested 26.64 million tonne of onion in the 2021-22 crop year (July-June), the ministry said in a statement. As per the ministry's first advance estimate, area sown for onion cultivation is estimated to be higher at 1.91 million hectare in the 2022-23 crop year from 1.62 million hectare in 2021-22.

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Among other key vegetables, the production of potato and tomato is estimated to decline in 2022-23. Potato output is likely to fall to 53.60 million tonne in the ensuing 2022-23 crop year from 56.17 million tonne in 2021-22, while that of tomato is pegged to be lower at 20.30 million tonne as against 21.18 million tonne in the said period.

Total vegetable production is pegged slightly lower at 199.88 million tonne in the 2022-23 crop year as against 200.44 million tonne a year ago, despite likely marginal increase in the acreage.

"Increase in production of fruits, while decrease in vegetables, spices, flowers aromatic and medicinal plants and plantation crops over previous year is envisaged," the statement said.

Among fruits, mango production is estimated to remain flat at 20.33 million tonne in 2022-23 compared to 20.38 million tonne in 2021-22. In case of plantation crops like coconut and cashew nut, total production is likely to decline to 15.85 million tonne in 2022-23 as against 16.62 million tonne in 2021-22.

Spice production is also expected to fall to 10.81 million tonne from 11.11 million tonne recorded during the same period a year ago.

Total horticulture production of the country is estimated to be 333.25 million tonne during 2022-23, marginally lower by 0.4 per cent from 334.60 million tonne in the 2021-22 crop year.