Mango production likely to drop 4.36% to 20.44 million tonne this year: Govt

Mango production in the country is estimated to lower by 4.36 percent at 20.44 million tonne (MT) in the crop year 2019-20 ending this month, the latest data from the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday.

The output of mango, the king of fruits, stood at 21.37MT during the 2018-19 crop year (July-June).

The arrival of mangoes from the southern and western India has started, while the season in the northern states like Uttar Pradesh will begin from mid-June onwards.

However, production of other summer fruits -- muskmelon and watermelon -- is estimated to be higher than the previous year, as per the second estimate of horticultural crop production released by the ministry for the crop year 2019-20.

Production of muskmelon is estimated to be higher at 13.30MT this year from 12.66MT last year.

Similarly, the production of watermelon is estimated to increase to 2.78MT from 2.49MT, while that of litchi to 7,30,000 tonne from 7,21,000 tonne in the said period.

Banana output is also pegged higher at 31.50MT for the crop year 2019-20 when compared with 30.46MT last year.

Total fruits production in the country is likely to increase to 99MT this year from 97.96MT last year, the ministry's data showed.

Among key vegetables, production of three main kitchen staples -- tomato, potato and onion -- is estimated higher from over the last year.

Tomato output is expected to increase to 20.57MT this year from 19MT last year, while that of potato to 51.3MT from 50.19MT in the said period.

Similarly, production of onion is pegged higher at 26.73MT for the 2019-20 crop year when compared with 22.81MT last year.

Production of overall vegetables in the country is pegged higher at 191.76MT in the 2019-20 from 183.17MT in the last year.

Honey production is estimated to remain flat at 1,20,000 tonne this year. Similarly, spice output is estimated to be almost at last year's level of 9.42MT.

Total production of horticultural crops is estimated to increase to 320.47MT in the 2019-20 crop year from 310.73MT last year, the data added.