Question : Cultivation of Oranges

(a): the details of top orange producing States in the country along with the area of land under orange cultivation;

(b): whether there is a declining trend in orange production in the country;

(c): if so, the details thereof during each of the last three years and the current year along with the reasons for such decline, State/UT-wise;

(d): whether the Government has provided any technical and financial support for higher yield and storage of orange in orange producing States and if so, the details thereof;

(e): whether the Government has held training programme for orange producing farmers in the country and if so, the details thereof; and

(f): the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to increase the orange production in the country?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a): As per Third Advance Estimates 2019-20, total land under Orange (Mandarin Orange/Kinnow) in the country is 4.79 Lakh Hectare. Major states involved in Orange production are Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Haryana.

(b) & (c): No. There is no declining trend in Orange production in the country, as may be seen in the table below:-

( in Lakh Tonne)
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 (3rd Advance Estimate)
All India Production
51.01 62.43 63.97

Contd…..2/-
- 2 -

(d): Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is being implemented w.e.f. 2014-15, for holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew and cocoa. All States and UTs are covered under MIDH.

The Mission envisages production and productivity improvement of horticulture crops including fruits and vegetables through various interventions. Under MIDH, assistance is provided for activities such as production of planting material, vegetable seed production, coverage of area with improved cultivars, rejuvenation of senile orchards, protected cultivation, creation of water resources, adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), organic farming, including insitu generation of organic inputs are taken up for development of fruits and vegetables. Capacity buildings of farmers and technicians are also provided for adopting improved technologies.

Under the Mission, financial assistance is also provided for taking up various activities related to development of horticulture including post-harvest management. For the development of post-harvest management including establishment of Pack house, Pre-cooling unit, Cold Storage, Mobile Pre-cooling unit, Cold Room (Staging), Primary/Mobile/Minimal Processing unit, Ripening Chamber, evaporative/low energy cool chamber, low cost preservation unit, low cost onion storage structure, Pusa Zero Energy Cool Chamber, subsidy @ 35% (for general areas) and 50% (for hilly and tribal areas) of capital cost of the project is available for both public and private sector enterprises.

(e): ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute, Nagpur has reported that it has so far trained as many as 42634 citrus growers and 2449 officials on countrywide basis under various extension/Transfer of Technology based programmes. During last five years, under the Technology Mission (MM-I) for North Eastern and Himalayan (NEH) region, Centre organized a total of 20 trainings programmes (5- On Campus and 15 Off Campus) covering 8 States of north- eastern region where concerned State Government officers and field functionaries were trained on ‘Production of disease free planting material’ and ‘Citrus Rejuvenation’.

(f): ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute, Nagpur has reported that since 2003, it has produced 7.00 Lakh planting materials of citrus and distributed to 3000 citrus growers and 16 Citrus growing State Governments to develop a healthy mother stock.

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