Carrying capacity of Indian horticultureTI Carrying capacity of Indian horticulture

摘要

Growing population and rise in income level will lead to increase in demand of high-value agriculture (HVA) produce that includes fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, milk, fish and value-added food products. The annual growth rate in domestic demands for fruits and vegetables is estimated at 3.34% and 3.03% respectively. The required growth rates to meet projected demands in the horticulture sub-sector for 2050 may be lower than the growth already achieved during 1998-99 to 2006-07. Economic considerations could lead to diversification of cereal land to high value crops like horticultural crops, as in the southern parts of the country, where cultivation of spices generates more income than food crops for the farmers. This is not likely to happen in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh that contribute to the food security as buffer stocks of wheat and rice in reserve. Expected climatic changes may increase the overall productivity of coconut in the coastal areas, except in the northern parts. Cultivation of temperate fruits like apples may move to further higher elevations.