India stares at drop in onion output in 2017-18

May see bumper potato production

India’s onion production in 201718 is expected to be 21.4 million tonnes, around 4.5 per cent less than last year due to lss sowing.

However, potato output is expected at 49.3 mt, around one per cent more than last year, showed the first advance estimate for horticultural crops. These were issued on Tuesday.

A fall in onion production might push up prices for consumers. For potato farmers, it could be another bad year in terms of prices; the 2017-18 harvest would come after a 12 per cent rise in 2016-17 production at 48.6 mt.

Onion sowing is estimated at 1.19 mn hectares in 2017-18 or 8.4 per cent less than last year. Potatoes were sown on 21.76 mn ha, marginally less than the 21.79 mn of last year.

Overall, the horticulture sector continues to outperform cereals in volume terms and total production in 2017-18 (starting July) is projected at 305.4 mt, almost 1.6 per cent more than the final estimate for 2016-17 and a new high.

Tomato production in 2017-18 is expected to be 22.3 mt or 7.7 per cent higher than last year.

Production as in the first advance estimate is almost eight per cent more than the average of the past five years. The government stated the productivity of horticultural crops had risen 1.3 per cent over the year.

Mango output is pegged higher at 20.7 million tonnes in the current year on higher yields as against 19.5 million tonnes in the last year.

Banana output is, however, expected to drop slightly to 30.2 million tonnes in 2017-18 from 30.47 million tonnes previous year.

Production of fruit in 2017-18 is estimated at 95 mt, about two per cent higher. Of vegetables, 181 mt or one per cent more than last year.

In case of plantation crops like coconut and cashew nut, total production is likely to remain flat at 18 million tonnes for 2017-18 crop year as against 17.97 million tonnes.

In case of spices, the total output is pegged at 8.16 million tonnes this year as against 8.12 million tonnes last year.