Export Potential of Onion: a Case Study of India
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REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON COMMODITY EXPORT DIVERSIFICATION AND POVERTY REDUCTION IN SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA
(BANGKOK, 3-5 APRIL, 2001)
ORGANIZED BY UNCTAD IN COOPERATION WITH ESCAP
Export Potential of Onion: A Case Study of India
By V. C. Mathur
Senior Scientist
Division of Agricultural Economics
Indian Agricultural Research Institute
Agriculture occupies an important position in India as it contributes nearly 30 per cent of the gross domestic product and provides employment to around two-thirds of the nation’s population. A large variety of tropical, sub-tropical and temperate crops are cultivated in the country supported by a climatically conducive growing environment, highly skilled manpower, extensive irrigation system, a well-developed extension and research and development network, and a large market for agro- products. The total net sown area in the country is around 143 million hectares, which is around 43 per cent of the geographical area. The net irrigated area is around 55 million hectares or 39 per cent of the net sown area. However, one important emerging feature of Indian agriculture is the increasing number of marginal (less than 1 ha) and small size holdings (1.0 to 2.0 ha). Between 1985-86 and 1990-91, the number of marginal holdings increased from 56.147 million to 63.389 million, while the small size holdings went up from 17.922 million to 20.092 million. Even the number of semi-medium size holdings increased during the same period from 13.252 million to 13.923 million. According to the 1990-91 Agricultural Census, 91.3 per cent of the total holdings in the country comprise marginal, small and semi-medium holdings which together account for 55.6 per cent of the operated area. This decreasing size of operated area often diminishes the efficiency of production
REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON COMMODITY EXPORT DIVERSIFICATION AND POVERTY REDUCTION IN SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA
(BANGKOK, 3-5 APRIL, 2001)
ORGANIZED BY UNCTAD IN COOPERATION WITH ESCAP
Export Potential of Onion: A Case Study of India
By V. C. Mathur
Senior Scientist
Division of Agricultural Economics
Indian Agricultural Research Institute
Agriculture occupies an important position in India as it contributes nearly 30 per cent of the gross domestic product and provides employment to around two-thirds of the nation’s population. A large variety of tropical, sub-tropical and temperate crops are cultivated in the country supported by a climatically conducive growing environment, highly skilled manpower, extensive irrigation system, a well-developed extension and research and development network, and a large market for agro- products. The total net sown area in the country is around 143 million hectares, which is around 43 per cent of the geographical area. The net irrigated area is around 55 million hectares or 39 per cent of the net sown area. However, one important emerging feature of Indian agriculture is the increasing number of marginal (less than 1 ha) and small size holdings (1.0 to 2.0 ha). Between 1985-86 and 1990-91, the number of marginal holdings increased from 56.147 million to 63.389 million, while the small size holdings went up from 17.922 million to 20.092 million. Even the number of semi-medium size holdings increased during the same period from 13.252 million to 13.923 million. According to the 1990-91 Agricultural Census, 91.3 per cent of the total holdings in the country comprise marginal, small and semi-medium holdings which together account for 55.6 per cent of the operated area. This decreasing size of operated area often diminishes the efficiency of production
References: Kumar, Praduman. 1996. Market Prospects for Upland Crops in India. CGPRT Centre, Working Paper Series No Paroda, R. S. 1999. Towards Sustainable Agricultural Exports – New Paradigms. Singh, Narendra and Netra Pal. 1996. Bulb and Root Vegetables. In Fifty Years of Crop Science Research in India, R Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, Gurgaon, India. 2000.