Abstract

AbstractTomatoes, onions and potatoes, popularly known as the TOP vegetables, are the three largest cultivated, produced and consumed vegetables in India. Their production has increased dramatically over the years, making India the second-largest producer of all the three vegetables in the world just after China. Recent figures put tomato production at 19 million metric tonnes (MMT), onion production at 22.8 MMT and potato production at 50.2 MMT in 2018–19.

Highlights

  • This does not bring much cheer to the vegetable farmers. They have been resorting to distress sales, burning their crop or discarding them on the roads

  • The answer lies in value chain fragmentation, price volatility, quality and quantity losses and low levels of processing that characterise the market for horticultural crops in India

  • Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. (JISL) works with farmers on both ends of the value chain providing them with inputs like fertilisers, seeds, micro irrigation systems, and extension services, and purchasing their raw produce for processing

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Summary

Introduction

Onions and potatoes, popularly known as TOP vegetables, are the three largest cultivated, produced and consumed vegetables in India. The answer lies in value chain fragmentation, price volatility, quality and quantity losses and low levels of processing that characterise the market for horticultural crops in India The prevalence of these problems has weakened India’s potential in the global horticulture trade and resulted in low returns to farmers. The reasons lie in the perishable nature of the crop, regional and seasonal concentration, and lack of storage facilities It is essential, to make the vegetable value chain more demand-driven, where the farmers do not face the problem of plenty. With this backdrop, the chapter analyzes the existing value chains of the three vegetables—tomato, onion and potato and provides policy recommendations to develop more competitive, inclusive, sustainable and scalable value chains with access to finance (CISS-F). The methodology followed in the chapter assesses the competitiveness, inclusivity, scalability, sustainability and financial requirements (CISS-F) of the TOP value chain

International Competitiveness
Domestic Price Formation (Efficiency)
Retailer cost and margin
Retailer cost
Delhi wholesale price
Inclusiveness
Inclusiveness in Production
Inclusiveness in Marketing
Inclusiveness in Post-harvest Management
Inclusiveness in Contract Farming
Sustainability
Financial Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
Scalability
Scalability of Area and Production
Scalability of Exports
Access to Finance
Financing of Farmers
Financing of Infrastructure
Financing of Processors
Conclusion and Policy Recommendation
Extension services
Agriculture credit
Mechanization
Farmer Collectives
Risk insurance
Findings
15 Bank interest
Full Text
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