From area expansion to sustainable intensification: Yield gaps, structural constraints and vision-2047 roadmap for India’s vegetable sector

Vegetable cultivation plays a pivotal role in India’s agricultural growth, nutritional security, and rural employment generation. During 2024–25, vegetables were grown over 11.71 million ha with a production exceeding 215.68 million tonnes, contributing nearly 58% of total horticultural output. Despite this impressive expansion, productivity has increased at slower rate, with national average yields (18.42 tonnes/ha), remaining substantially below the 25–30 tonnes/ha levels achieved in technologically-advanced systems. The widening gap between projected demand and current production trajectories underscores the urgency of yield acceleration through resource-efficient intensification. Persistent constraints, including fragmented landholdings, imbalanced nutrient application, declining soil health, climate variability, suboptimal irrigation practices, limited hybrid adoption, and significant post-harvest losses, have restricted productivity gains. Regional disparities further reflect agro-ecological limitations, infrastructural gaps, and differential technology uptake. Recent production growth has been driven more by area expansion than productivity enhancement, indicating structural inefficiencies within the system. The ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, has addressed these challenges through a systems-based approach encompassing the development of climate-resilient and high-yielding varieties, precision nutrient and water management strategies, protected cultivation technologies, integrated pest management modules, and post-harvest innovations. Emphasis on balanced fertilization, resource-use efficiency, and region-specific technology packages aim to bridge productivity gaps while enhancing sustainability. Looking ahead to Vision-2047, the roadmap prioritizes seed system strengthening, soil health restoration, climate-smart production technologies, digital advisory platforms, and resilient supply chains. A shift from area-led growth to productivity-driven, low-input, and climate-resilient intensification will be critical to ensuring nutritional security, farmer profitability, and long-term sustainability of India’s vegetable sector.