Horticulture: Madhya Pradesh's parallel growth claim

One of the very few states where agriculture gets top billing, MP had organised a special session of the assembly in 2010 to find ways to make farming profitable for farmers. Bringing five lakh hectares more under horticulture crops by 2012-13 from the existing 8.55 lakh ha was one of the resolutions adopted at the end of the session that, incidentally, had been boycotted by the Congress questioning its rationale.

While adding more area, the state has boosted horticulture production two-and-a-half times, from 77.61 lakh tonnes three years ago to 1.79 crore tonnes in 2012-13, recording the highest increase in vegetable production as well as the area under cultivation. The area under vegetables has increased from 2.83 lakh hectares to 5.52 lakh, and production from 36.98 lakh tonnes to 1.08 lakh. States such as Maharashtra are still way ahead in terms of both acreage and production, and benefits from getting more funds under the National Horticulture Mission.

Floriculture, spices and fruits are other areas where the sector has grown and was helped in large measure by an increase in micro-irrigation facilities under the National Mission on Micro Irrigation. Close to 1.14 lakh farmers benefited between December 2006 and December 2012.

Since last year, the sale of horticulture produces has been exempted from payment of mandi tax. Earlier, private companies could buy horticulture produces only

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