About GIHEC:  

The main objectives of the Integrated Horticulture Expo are to improve integrated development of Horticulture industry and to help in coordinating, sustaining the production and processing of fruits and vegetables.

The India Greenhouse Horticulture market held a market value of USD 190.84 Million in 2021 and is estimated to reach USD 271.25 Million by the year 2030.

The market is expected to register a growth rate of 4.19% over the projected period. In 2021, India’s greenhouse horticulture production was 27.71 million tonnes.

Growth Influencers

Robust increase in population and food demand.

Rising entrepreneurship under horticulture due to government intervention.

Significance

Diverse agro-climatic conditions in India ensure the production of all types of fresh fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants.

Horticulture crops perform a vital role in the Indian economy by generating employment, providing raw material to various food processing industries, and higher farm profitability due to higher production and export earnings from foreign exchange.

The comparative production per unit area of horticultural crops is higher than field crops.

Such crops are of high value, labour intensive and generate employment throughout the year. It has gained prominence over contributing a growing share in Gross Value Addition of agriculture.

They have national and international demand and are a good source of foreign exchange.

It is imperative to cater to the country’s estimated demand of 650 MT of fruits and vegetables by the year 2050.

Data Analysis

India is the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world after China.

Horticultural crops constitute a significant portion of the total agricultural produce in India. They cover a wide cultivation area and contribute about 28 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

These crops account for 37 per cent of the total exports of agricultural commodities from India.

During the year 2019-20, the country recorded its highest ever horticulture production of 320.77 million tonnes from an area of 25.66 million hectares.

Challenges

Faces high post-harvest loss and gaps in post-harvest management due to less or limited input by machinery and equipment.

Lack of supply chain infrastructures like cold storage and well-connected transport networks.

Difficulties in setting up due to higher input costs and limited availability of market intelligence, mainly for exports.

There are no safety net provisions like the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for foodgrains.

The production of horticultural commodities is far less as compared to the existing demand in the country.