1Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Nagpur, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, Nagpur-440 008, Maharashtra, India.
2Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani-431 402, Maharashtra, India.
3Dr. Sharadchandra Pawar College of Agriculture, Baramati-413 102, Maharashtra, India.
4Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara-144 411, Punjab, India.
5Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Assam down town University, Guwahati-781 026, Assam, India.
*Corresponding Author: Ganeshkumar D. Rede, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Nagpur, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, Nagpur-440 008, Maharashtra, India. Email: ganeshrede3156@gmail.com
India is one of the world’s largest producers of fruits and vegetables, yet fluctuations in area, production and productivity continue to create uncertainty in farm incomes, market supply and food security. Understanding the level and pattern of instability across states is therefore essential for balanced horticultural development.
The study assesses state-wise instability in the production of fruits and vegetables in India over the period 2001–2021, covering 27 central states. Time-series data on area, production and productivity were compiled from official sources. The Cuddy- Della Valle Index (CDVI) was used to measure instability after adjusting for time trends and instability levels were classified as low, moderate and high to facilitate meaningful comparison across states and periods.
Results indicate that at the national level, both fruits and vegetables remained within the low instability level across all three dimensions, though fruits showed relatively higher instability in area and productivity, while vegetables showed comparatively higher instability in production. At the state level, several states recorded high instability levels. Maharashtra showed high instability in fruit area (33.85%). Arunachal Pradesh showed high instability in fruit production (54.18%), vegetable area (51.05%) and productivity (75.87%), while Nagaland showed high instability in fruit productivity (64.54%) and vegetable production (46.82%). These findings indicate that instability is concentrated in specific regions, particularly in northeastern and hill states, reflecting structural and agro-climatic constraints. The results highlight the need for state-specific crop planning, promotion of climate-resilient and high-yielding varieties, strengthened extension services and improved market infrastructure.
Cuddy-della valle index, Food, Fruits, Instability, State-wise analysis, Vegetables
