New Delhi [India], the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has announced that the area under kharif onion sowing is expected to be 27 percent higher than last year.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, this increase comes amid a favorable monsoon season and timely rains that have improved prospects for several kharif crops, including onions, tomatoes and potatoes.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with state governments, has projected a substantial increase in the sowing area of kharif onions, targeting 3.61 lakh hectares this year.
This is a marked increase compared to the previous year's planting area. In Karnataka, the major kharif onion producing state, 30 per cent of the planned area of 1.50 lakh hectares has already been sown, and sowing is progressing well in other major producing states, the press release said.
Currently, the domestic market is supplied with rabi-2024 onions, which were harvested from March to May this year.
The estimated production for rabi-2024 is 191 lakh tonnes, which is enough to meet the domestic consumption needs of about 17 lakh tonnes per month.
Despite slightly lower production in rabi-2024 compared to last year, supply is stable due to controlled exports and favorable weather conditions that have minimized storage losses.
The stable supply has led to moderation in onion prices as more rabi onions are being released into the market, along with the onset of monsoon rains, which have led to a rise in mandi prices.
Onions are normally harvested in three seasons: rabi (March-May), kharif (September-November) and late kharif (January-February).
The rabi season accounts for around 70 per cent of the total onion production, while the kharif and late kharif together contribute 30 per cent. The kharif onion crop is crucial to maintain price stability during months when there is a gap between rabi and peak kharif crops, the press release said.
Potato, a predominantly rabi crop, also sees some production during the kharif season in states like Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
The Ministry has reported that the area under cultivation of kharif potatoes will increase by 12 percent compared to last year.
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have already achieved almost 100 per cent of the planned sowing areas, and good progress has been made in Karnataka and other states.
The rabi potato harvest, stored in cold storage throughout the country, ensures a constant supply throughout the year.
This year, 273.2 lakh tonnes of rabi potatoes have been stored, which is enough to meet the domestic consumption demand.
Potato prices on the market are regulated by the rate at which stored potatoes leave the cold store, ensuring a balanced supply during the storage period from March to December, the statement said.
The kharif tomato sowing area has also seen a positive trend, increasing from 2.67 lakh hectares last year to 2.72 lakh hectares expected this year.
Crop conditions are reported to be excellent in major tomato growing areas such as Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh and Kolar in Karnataka.
In Kolar, the tomato harvest has already started and the produce is expected to reach the market in a few days.
Feedback from district horticulture officials in Chittoor and Kolar indicates that this year's tomato crop is significantly better than last year's.
The increase in kharif tomato area is notable in major producing states including Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, this increase comes amid a favorable monsoon season and timely rains that have improved prospects for several kharif crops, including onions, tomatoes and potatoes.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with state governments, has projected a substantial increase in the sowing area of kharif onions, targeting 3.61 lakh hectares this year.
This is a marked increase compared to the previous year's planting area. In Karnataka, the major kharif onion producing state, 30 per cent of the planned area of 1.50 lakh hectares has already been sown, and sowing is progressing well in other major producing states, the press release said.
Currently, the domestic market is supplied with rabi-2024 onions, which were harvested from March to May this year.
The estimated production for rabi-2024 is 191 lakh tonnes, which is enough to meet the domestic consumption needs of about 17 lakh tonnes per month.
Despite slightly lower production in rabi-2024 compared to last year, supply is stable due to controlled exports and favorable weather conditions that have minimized storage losses.
The stable supply has led to moderation in onion prices as more rabi onions are being released into the market, along with the onset of monsoon rains, which have led to a rise in mandi prices.
Onions are normally harvested in three seasons: rabi (March-May), kharif (September-November) and late kharif (January-February).
The rabi season accounts for around 70 per cent of the total onion production, while the kharif and late kharif together contribute 30 per cent. The kharif onion crop is crucial to maintain price stability during months when there is a gap between rabi and peak kharif crops, the press release said.
Potato, a predominantly rabi crop, also sees some production during the kharif season in states like Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
The Ministry has reported that the area under cultivation of kharif potatoes will increase by 12 percent compared to last year.
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have already achieved almost 100 per cent of the planned sowing areas, and good progress has been made in Karnataka and other states.
The rabi potato harvest, stored in cold storage throughout the country, ensures a constant supply throughout the year.
This year, 273.2 lakh tonnes of rabi potatoes have been stored, which is enough to meet the domestic consumption demand.
Potato prices on the market are regulated by the rate at which stored potatoes leave the cold store, ensuring a balanced supply during the storage period from March to December, the statement said.
The kharif tomato sowing area has also seen a positive trend, increasing from 2.67 lakh hectares last year to 2.72 lakh hectares expected this year.
Crop conditions are reported to be excellent in major tomato growing areas such as Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh and Kolar in Karnataka.
In Kolar, the tomato harvest has already started and the produce is expected to reach the market in a few days.
Feedback from district horticulture officials in Chittoor and Kolar indicates that this year's tomato crop is significantly better than last year's.
The increase in kharif tomato area is notable in major producing states including Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
