Trends in area, production, and productivity of major fruit and vegetable crops under the national horticulture mission in the central dry zone of Karnataka

Introduction

Horticulture has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors of Indian agriculture, contributing significantly towards agricultural GDP, nutritional security, employment generation and export earnings. Recognizing its importance, the Government of India launched the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) during 2005-06 to promote holistic development of horticultural crops through area expansion, technology dissemination, quality planting materials, microirrigation, integrated pest management and post-harvest infrastructure. Karnataka is one of the leading horticultural states in India. The Central Dry Zone comprising Chitradurga, Tumakuru and Chikkamagaluru possesses considerable potential for fruit and vegetable cultivation despite climatic variability. NHM interventions have considerably influenced farmers' adoption of improved technologies and commercial horticulture. The present study evaluates the trends in area, production and productivity of banana, pomegranate, chilli and onion under NHM interventions from 2013-14 to 2021-22.

Methodology

The present study was conducted to analyse the trends in area, production, and productivity of selected horticultural crops under the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in the Central Dry Zone of Karnataka. The study was based entirely on secondary data collected for a period of nine years, from 2013-14 to 2021-22. The required data on area (ha), production (metric tonnes), and productivity (t ha⁻¹) of selected horticultural crops were obtained from the Karnataka State Department of Horticulture (KSDH), Government of Karnataka. The study was confined to three districts of the Central Dry Zone (Zone IV) of Karnataka, namely Chitradurga, Tumakuru, and Chikkamagaluru, where NHM interventions have been implemented extensively for the promotion of www.extensionjournal.com horticultural development. Four economically important horticultural crops banana, pomegranate, chilli, and onion were selected for the analysis based on their area under cultivation, economic importance, and relevance to NHM programmes. The collected data were compiled and analysed using descriptive statistical techniques. Tabular analysis was employed to present the district-wise trends in area, production, and productivity over the study period. Trend analysis was carried out to examine the temporal changes in these variables and to assess the overall growth pattern of each crop across the selected districts.

Statistical tools

To quantify the annual growth in area, production, and productivity, the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) was estimated. The CAGR provides a measure of the average annual rate of growth over the study period by assuming a constant rate of increase or decrease.

It was calculated using the following formula:

Where, Y₀ = Initial value Yn = Final value n = Number of years

Result and discussion

The trends in area, production and productivity of banana, pomegranate, chilli and onion cultivated under the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in the Central Dry Zone of Karnataka during 2013-14 to 2021-22 are presented in Tables 12345. The analysis revealed considerable inter-district variation in crop performance, reflecting differences in agro-climatic conditions, technology adoption and the effectiveness of NHM interventions.

Banana

The data presented in Table 1 illustrate the temporal trends in the area, production, and productivity of banana crops in Chitradurga (CTA), Tumakuru (TUM), and Chikkamagaluru (CKM) districts from 2013-14 to 2021-22. An analysis of the trends provides insights into the performance of the banana sector in the Central Dry Zone of Karnataka over the nine-year period. (KSDH, 2022) The area under cultivation showed considerable fluctuation over the years. In Chitradurga district, the area ranged from 4,616 ha in 2019-20 to a peak of 10,246 ha in 2016-17, indicating instability in crop coverage across seasons. Whereas the Tumakuru district exhibited a relatively moderate area trend, with the lowest area of 3,382 ha in 2019-20 and the highest area of 7,238 ha in 2020-21. While the Chikkamagalore district consistently recorded a declining trend in area, decreasing from 7,133 ha in 2013-14 to 2,776 ha in 2021-22, suggesting gradual withdrawal or crop substitution over the study period. With respect to production, the Chitradurga district recorded the highest production of 212,264 metric tons in 2016-17, coinciding with the maximum area under cultivation, while the lowest production (102,259 metric tons) was observed in 2019-20. In TUM, production showed a sharp increase in 2020-21 (220,289 metric tons), the highest during the entire study period, reflecting the combined effect of expanded area and higher productivity. The Chikkamagalore showed a continuous decline in production from 171,256 metric tons in 2013-14 to 65,677 metric tons in 2021-22, largely corresponding with the reduction in cultivated area. The productivity levels revealed comparatively better performance in the Tumakuru district across most years. Productivity in the Tumakuru district increased steadily from 21.60 t/ha in 2013-14 to a peak of 30.44 t/ha in 2020-21, indicating effective adoption of improved production technologies and management practices. The Chitradurga district productivity fluctuated between 20.72 t/ha (2016-17) and 29.15 t/ha (2020-21), reflecting variability in resource use efficiency and climatic influences. CKM recorded relatively lower productivity levels, ranging from 18.87 t/ha in 2017-18 to 24.01 t/ha in 2013-14, with marginal improvements in later years.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate cultivation exhibited contrasting trends across the three districts (figure 1, 2, &3). The Chitradurga district remained the major pomegranate-growing district during the initial years consistently reported the highest area under cultivation 10,871 ha in 2015-16. This was followed by a consistent decline, reaching a low of 4,361 ha in 2020-21, before marginally increased in 2021-22 (4,629 ha). The district showed the highest production about 1.46 Lakh MT with the productivity of 13.42 Ton/ha during 2015-16, which corresponded to the maximum area and high www.extensionjournal.com productivity of 13.42 Ton/ha. However, a subsequent decline in both parameters was observed, mainly due to bacterial blight incidence, water scarcity and market fluctuations. Despite the sharp drop in area during 2019-20, the production remained fairly strong (7,423 MT), supported by improved productivity in that year. The productivity of chilly in Chitradurga ranged between 9.86 t/ha (2020-21) and 12.52 t/ha (2016-17). The average productivity remained moderately stable across the years, suggesting consistent management practices, though there is scope for improvement through better input management, pest control, and irrigation practices. Tumakuru district demonstrated significant growth and consistent performance in chilly cultivation. The area under cultivation increased from 912 ha in 2013-14 to 2,091 ha in 2021-22, showing a gradual and sustained expansion. This reflects a growing preference for chilly as a commercial crop in the district. Production figures improved substantially, from 13,315 MT in 2013-14 to 37,056 MT in 2021-22, representing nearly a three-fold increase. This increase was driven by both expansions in area and high productivity levels. Tumakuru consistently recorded the highest productivity among the three districts, with values ranging from 12.6 t/ha (2018-19) to a peak of 29.35 t/ha (2019-20). This indicates the successful adoption of improved agronomic practices, better irrigation systems, use of quality seeds, and timely plant protection measures. Tumakuru sets a model for other districts in terms of chilly crop efficiency and profitability. Chikkamagaluru district exhibited a declining trend in all three indicators-area, production, and productivity. The area under chilly cultivation reduced from 802 ha in 2013-14 to just 359 ha in 2021-22, indicating a steady withdrawal from chilly cultivation over the years. This trend may be attributed to crop diversification, climatic issues, or declining market returns. Production also declined accordingly-from 8,152 MT in 2013-14 to 3,240 MT in 2021-22. However, occasional spikes in productivity mitigated the drop to some extent in certain years. For example, in 2017-18, the productivity rose to 13.99 t/ha, the highest in the district during the period. Overall, productivity in Chikkamagaluru ranged from 9.03 t/ha (2021-22) to 13.99 t/ha (2017-18). The inconsistent performance indicates the need for technical guidance, input accessibility, and market support to stabilize and improve chilly cultivation in the region. www.extensionjournal.com

Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) analysis (Table 3) revealed distinct growth patterns among the selected crops and districts. Banana recorded a decline in cultivated area across all districts; however, Tumakuru achieved significant productivity growth (4.64%), indicating efficient resource utilization and improved crop management. Pomegranate exhibited significant negative growth in area and production in Chitradurga and Chikkamagaluru, whereas Tumakuru recorded significant positive growth, highlighting the successful adoption of NHM-supported technologies.

References

1. Anonymous. Reports of the State Department of Horticulture, Karnataka: District-wise area, production and productivity of horticultural crops. Department of Horticulture, Government of Karnataka; 2024.
2. Anonymous. Agricultural statistics at a glance 2022. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India; 2022.
3. Bishnoi D. Growth trends in area, production and productivity of total horticultural crops in India (Haryana and Odisha States). International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 2020;9(7):3658-3661.
4. Patil BO, Hosamani SB. Impact of the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) scheme on horticulture development in Vijayapura district, Karnataka. International Journal of Commerce and Business Management. 2017;10(2):121-128.
5. Kumar P. Impact study of the National Horticulture Mission scheme: A consolidated report. Vol. 1. Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC); 2013.