Production of Vegetables and Fruits on the Rise

The production of vegetables and fruits in the country is estimated to be 1505.86 and 752.74 lakh tonnes respectively, during 2011-12 as compared to 1465.54 and 748.78 lakh tonnes during 2010-11.

The Government of India has been implementing Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in the remaining States of the country for enhancing production and productivity of horticulture crops including fruits and vegetables. Under these missions, assistance is provided for establishment of nurseries, seed production for vegetables, enhancing quality production and productivity of fruits and vegetables through area expansion, protected cultivation, canopy management, integrated nutrient and water management, integrated pest management, rejuvenation of senile orchards, mechanization, Human Resource Development, etc.

Agriculture Ministry is implementing Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) on request of State/ UT Governments for procurement of various horticultural commodities. The purpose of implementation of MIS is to protect the growers from making distress sales in the event of a bumper crop when there is glut in the market, causing prices to fall below economic levels/ cost of production. Losses, if any, incurred by the procuring agencies are shared equally between the Central Government and the State Government concerned on 50:50 basis (75:25 in case of North-Eastern States). MIS was sanctioned for procurement of 54,000 MT of onion at the Market Intervention Price of Rs.6,000 per MT w.e.f. 14.12.2011 to 14.01.2012 in Karnataka during 2011-12.

488 Lakh Soil Health Cards Issued

About 488.25 lakh soil health cards have been distributed to farmers up to March 2012. The Government is according high priority to soil testing and is providing assistance to State Government/ Union Territories (UTs) for setting up Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) for augmenting existing capacity of States for soil testing for issuing soil health cards to farmers. However, this requires effort by State Governments/ UTs in mobilizing technical manpower for soil testing and issuing soil health cards.

National food Security Mission helps Exceed Foodgrain Production Target

National Food Security Mission (NFSM) has been implemented in the identified districts of major foodgrain producing States of the country during 11th Five Year Plan. From the year 2012-13, six NE States viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim and two States viz. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been included under NFSM-Rice and three States viz. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand under NFSM-Wheat. Thus, in all NFSM is now implemented in 27 States of the Country during 2012-13. Under NFSM, incentives are provided to the farmers for purchase of seed, nutrients, soil amenders, plant protection chemicals, farm machinery including pumpsets and sprinklers etc. Farmers are also availing benefit from the training and technology demonstrations conducted on the fields.

The aim of the Mission was to enhance foodgrain production by 20 million tonnes (10 million tonnes of Rice, 8 million tonnes of Wheat and 2 million tones of Pulses). As a result of implementation of NFSM the production of Wheat has increased from 75.81 million tons (in pre-NFSM year of 2006-07) to 93.90 million tons during 2011-12 (4th Advance Estimate) i.e. nearly, 18.09 million tons is achieved against the envisaged target of 8 million tons at the end of 11th plan period. Similarly, the total production of rice has increased from 93.35 million tons (in pre –NFSM year 2006-07) to 104.32 Million tons in 2011-12 (4th Advance Estimate) with an increase of nearly 10.97 million tons against the target of 10 million tons. The total production of pulses has also increased from 14.20 million tons during 2006-07 to 18.24 million tons during 2010-11 with an increase of 4.04 million tons against the envisaged target of 2.0 million tons. The production of pulses during 2011-12 is estimated as 17.21 million tons (as per 4th advance estimate). Moisture stress in states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh impacted pulses production in Kharif, 2011.

Production & Availability of Fertilizers in the Country During March 2012

In March, 2012 production of Urea was 17.28 lakh MT against the target of 18.93 lakh MT. Estimated production of DAP during the month was 3.10 lakh MT as against the target of 3.03 lakh MT. Production of DAP had been more than the target by 0.07 lakh MT.

During March 2012, approximately 21.25 lakh MT (both indigenous and imported) urea was dispatched to various States. Availability of urea during the month of March 2012 was about 24.94 lakh MT and availability was satisfactory in all the States. Further, sale of Urea in the current season up to 31.3.2012 was about 151.16 lakh MT which is lower by 3.15% as compared to the sale of 156.08 lakh MT in the corresponding period of the previous year.

As regards decontrolled fertilizers, availability of DAP and MOP during the month of March 2012 had been about 18.56 lakh MT and 7.28 lakh MT respectively, which was adequate to meet the demand of the States.

During the month of March 2012, 1.59 lakh MT of urea was imported from OMIFCO, Oman. In addition, 0.25 lakh MT of DAP and 1.18 lakh MT of MOP was also imported into the country.