Growth and scope for horticulture sector in Haryana

Abstract

In case of Haryana due to the presence of diverse agro climatic zones and exclusive good soils, the state has high production potential for horticulture crops. Besides this due to its geographical location near to big markets of Delhi and Chandigarh, the state has extra advantage in terms of high demand for these products. With the motive of giving boost to the growth of horticulture production in the state lot of efforts in terms of increasing plan outlay and introduction of new schemes over time have been done by government. A separate department namely Department of Horticulture was created in 1990-91, which was earlier a part of Agriculture Department of Haryana. Farmers of Haryana have also started shifting their focus from traditional farming to horticulture products and are taking up horticulture crops as a separate viable economic activity. Present study aims to analyze the crop wise growth of horticulture in Haryana and to see the trends in horticulture growth in Haryana vis-a vis total cultivable area. The results of the study reveals that where in case of all the groups of commodities considered for study increase in production remained higher than increase in area under production, indicating a positive outcome in form of increase in productivity, the growth of both the area under horticultural crops and percentage share of horticulture area has not been satisfactory as the percentage share of horticulture area over cropped area is even less than 10 percent.