Diversification within Fruits and Vegetable Crops: An Inter-District Analysis from Punjab State of India

Abstract

India’s geography and diversified agroclimatic conditions make it ideal for producing various horticultural crops. India needs to catch up to China regarding fruit and vegetable production. Horticulture accounts for more than a third of all agricultural output. Like the rest of the country, Punjab places a high value on horticultural development. In this context, the current research focuses on the expansion and diversity of fruits and vegetable crops at the district level in Punjab. The study’s scope is confined to fruits and vegetable crops grown at the district level in Punjab for two periods, 2004-05 and 2018- 19. The Herfindahl index (HI) has been used to calculate the degree of diversity based on the area under various horticulture crops in a given location at a given time. In the case of fruits, the study found that the production of almost all crops has increased. However, productivity for vegetables has decreased for some crops. Ludhiana district had the most diversification, with an H-Index of 0.188, followed by Nawashahar and Patiala districts, with H-Indexes of 0.189 and 0.192, respectively. Ferozpur district, on the other hand, has a high level of specialism, with an H-Index of 0.600, followed by Muktsar and Hoshiarpur districts, with H-Indexes of 0.476 and 0.420, respectively. Overall, horticulture in the state exhibits a high level of diversification. However, farmers should be taught about the new cultivation measures and ensure that the prices of their produce are appropriate to raise the overall income of the farming community and make agriculture sustainable.