Vegetables are important constituents of Indian agriculture and nutritional security due to
their short duration, high yield, nutritional richness, economic viability and ability to generate
on-farm and off-farm employment. Our country is blessed with diverse agro-climates with distinct
seasons, making it possible to grow wide array of vegetables. India is the second largest producer
of fruits and vegetables in the world. Total area under horticultural crops is 21.83 million ha and
production is 240.53 million t. Fruits and vegetables together contribute about 92% of the total
horticultural production in the country.
Vegetables are vital sources of proteins, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, micronutrients,
antioxidants and phytochemicals in our daily diet. Apart from nutrition, they also contain a wide
array of potential phyto-chemicals like anti-carcinogenic principles and anti-oxidants (e.g.
flavonoids, glucosinolates and isothyocynates). In India, vegetables are valuable biological assets
especially genetic resources.They have been vividly described in the Indian scriptures like ‘Vedas’
and ‘Ramayana’. India is rich in biodiversity of vegetables and is the primary/secondary center
of origin of many vegetables.
India produces 14 % (146.55 million tonnes) of world’s vegetables on 15 % (8.5 million hectares)
of world area under vegetables. Productivity of vegetables in India (17.3t/ha) is less than the
world average productivity (18.8t/ha). Potato (28.9%), tomato (11.3%), onion (10.3%) and Brinjal
(8.1%) are the 4major vegetables contributing 58.6% of total vegetable production in our country.
Other important vegetables are cabbage (5.4%), cauliflower (4.6%), okra (3.9%) and peas
(2.4%)(Figure-1). India ranks first in the production of okra in the world (73% of world production).
their short duration, high yield, nutritional richness, economic viability and ability to generate
on-farm and off-farm employment. Our country is blessed with diverse agro-climates with distinct
seasons, making it possible to grow wide array of vegetables. India is the second largest producer
of fruits and vegetables in the world. Total area under horticultural crops is 21.83 million ha and
production is 240.53 million t. Fruits and vegetables together contribute about 92% of the total
horticultural production in the country.
Vegetables are vital sources of proteins, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, micronutrients,
antioxidants and phytochemicals in our daily diet. Apart from nutrition, they also contain a wide
array of potential phyto-chemicals like anti-carcinogenic principles and anti-oxidants (e.g.
flavonoids, glucosinolates and isothyocynates). In India, vegetables are valuable biological assets
especially genetic resources.They have been vividly described in the Indian scriptures like ‘Vedas’
and ‘Ramayana’. India is rich in biodiversity of vegetables and is the primary/secondary center
of origin of many vegetables.
India produces 14 % (146.55 million tonnes) of world’s vegetables on 15 % (8.5 million hectares)
of world area under vegetables. Productivity of vegetables in India (17.3t/ha) is less than the
world average productivity (18.8t/ha). Potato (28.9%), tomato (11.3%), onion (10.3%) and Brinjal
(8.1%) are the 4major vegetables contributing 58.6% of total vegetable production in our country.
Other important vegetables are cabbage (5.4%), cauliflower (4.6%), okra (3.9%) and peas
(2.4%)(Figure-1). India ranks first in the production of okra in the world (73% of world production).
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