In November 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Family Welfare (MoAFW) released the third advance estimates of India’s horticulture production for 2024-25, reporting a 4%(or 14.31 million tonne, MT) increase to 369.05 million tonnes (MT), up from 354.74 MT in 2023‑24.
Exam Hints:
- What? Release of 3rd advance estimate of Horticultural production
- By: MoAFW
- Total Production: 369.05 MT (up 4%)
- Area Covered: 29.48 million ha
- Foodgrain Production: 357.732 MT
- Fruit Production: 118.76 MT
- Vegetable Production: 215.68 MT
Key Highlights:
Area covered: The horticultural crops, i.e. fruits and vegetables are estimated to have been covered in an area of 29.48 million hectare (mn ha) in 2024-25 crop year (July-June), marginally higher than 29.08 mn ha in the previous year.
Foodgrain Production: India’s total foodgrain production for 2024‑25 is estimated at a record 357.732 MT, marking a significant milestone in agricultural output.
- This includes rice at 1,501.84 lakh tonnes and wheat at 1,179.45 lakh tonnes, both record figures, along with nutri/coarse cereals at 639.21 lakh tonnes and maize at 434.09 lakh tonnes.
Pulses Production: India’s total pulses production for 2024‑25 is estimated at 256.83 lakh tonnes, driven by strong output across key varieties.
- Shri Anna (millet) contributed 185.92 lakh tonnes, chickpea accounted for 111.14 lakh tonnes, moong reached 42.44 lakh tonnes, and tur totaled 36.24 lakh tonnes, reflecting steady growth in the pulses sector.
Fruit Production: Fruit production is estimated to have increased by 5.12% (5.78 MT), reaching a total of 118.76 MT in 2024‑25.
- The major contributors to this rise include banana, mango, watermelon, jackfruit, mandarin, papaya and guava.
Vegetable Production: The production of vegetables is estimated to have increased by 4.09% (8.47 MT) to touch 215.68 MT on higher production of onion and potatoes among others.
TOP (Tomato, Onion, Potato): Onion output is estimated to rise by about 27%, increasing from 24.26 MT to 30.78 MT.
- Potato production is expected to grow by 1.85%, reaching 58.108 MT.
- Tomato output is projected to reach 19.468 MT during the year.
Medicinal Plants: Production of aromatic and medicinal plants is projected to have increased to 7,81,000 tonnes from 7,26,000 tonnes last year.
- Spice production is estimated at 12.50 MT, up from last year’s 12.484 MT, with increased production of garlic, ginger and turmeric.
Oilseed Production : Total oilseed output for 2024‑25 is estimated at a record 429.89 lakh tonnes, up 33.20 lakh tonnes from 396.69 lakh tonnes in 2023‑24.
- The growth is driven by groundnut and soybean production, estimated at 119.42 lakh tonnes and 152.68 lakh tonnes, marking increases of 17.62 lakh tonnes and 22.06 lakh tonnes, respectively.
- Rapeseed and mustard output is projected at 126.67 lakh tonnes.
Commercial crops: India’s production of commercial crops in 2024‑25 shows robust growth, with sugarcane estimated at 4,546.11 lakh tonnes, cotton at 297.24 lakh bales (each weighing 170 kg), and jute and mesta at 88.02 lakh bales (each weighing 180 kg), highlighting strong output in both cash and industrial crops.
About Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW):
Union Minister – Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Constituency – Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, MP)
Minister of State (MoS) – Ram Nath Thakur (Rajya Sabha – Bihar); Bhagirath Choudhary (Constituency – Ajmer, Rajasthan)
