A Comparative Analysis of Growth and Productivity: Status of Orange, Large Cardamom and Apple in Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh, often referred to as the “Land of the Rising Sun” or “Land of the Dawn-lit Mountains,” is the easternmost state of India and receives the first sunrise in the country. It is the largest state in the North-Eastern region in terms of geographical area, covering 83,743 sq. km. The state lies in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayan mountain ranges and the Patkai hills and is characterized by diverse physiographic features ranging from plains in the foothills to steep mountainous slopes in the middle regions, interspersed with multiple river valleys, and snow-capped peaks at higher elevations. As a result, the state experiences a wide range of climatic conditions, varying from humid sub-tropical climate in the plains to temperate climate in the middle valleys and alpine conditions at higher altitudes. The state receives sufficient annual rainfall, ranging between 2,782 mm and 3,000 mm.

In addition to its varied climatic conditions, Arunachal Pradesh is known for its rich biodiversity, with nearly 79 percent of the state’sgeographical area covered by dense evergreen forests. These forests support avast diversity of plant species, birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, and butterflies (Mishra et al., 2020). The combination of diverse agro-climatic conditions and rich biodiversity provides substantial scope for the cultivation of a wide variety of horticultural crops in the state. Depending on Website: www.ijoear.com Journal DOI: 10.25125/agriculture-journal altitude, climate, and physiographic conditions, several horticultural crops are grown in Arunachal Pradesh. Major fruit crops include apple, kiwi, orange, pineapple, guava, and walnut; important vegetable crops include potato, tomato, sweet potato, beans, cucumber, bitter gourd, brinjal, muskmelon, radish, and pumpkin; while major spice crops include ginger and large cardamom (Gupta, 2022). In addition, the state also produces a range of other horticultural crops, including ornamental plants, medicinal plants, flowers, and plantation crops (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, 2023–24). Among the various horticultural crops cultivated in the state, orange, large cardamom, and apple occupy a dominant position in terms of area under cultivation. These three crops together account for nearly 59 percent of the total area under horticultural crops in Arunachal Pradesh, highlighting their importance in the state’shorticultural economy (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, 2023–24). These crops also have a well-established market both within and outside the state. For instance, large cardamom produced in Arunachal Pradesh is primarily procured by traders from Assam and Kolkata and marketed across the country, with a portion also being exported internationally (Singh et al., 2021). Similarly, a substantial share of orange and apple production is marketed through traders from Assam, catering to both regional and external markets. At the national level, Arunachal Pradesh holds a notable position in the production of these crops. During 2023–24, the state ranked eighth in orange production among Indian states, while it secured the third and fourth positions in the production of large cardamom and apple, respectively (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, 2023–24). Moreover, the state possesses considerable untapped potential to further expand the production of these crops, providing opportunities for scaling up horticultural output (NEDFI, 2022).

Despite the presence of favorable agro-climatic conditions and significant production potential, Arunachal Pradesh has experienced a declining trend in both area and production of these crops, as well as in the overall horticultural sector, over the past decade. The production of orange declined sharply from 182.1 thousand tonnes in 2013–14 to 58.34 thousand tonnes in 2023–24. Similarly, the production of large cardamom decreased from 3.1 thousand tonnes to 1.8 thousand tonnes, while apple production fell from 31.8 thousand tonnes to 6.79 thousand tonnes during the same period. Overall horticultural production in the state also declined substantially, from 106.86 thousand tonnes in 2013–14 to 46.84 thousand tonnes in 2023–24 (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare).

Several earlier studies have also reported a decline in horticultural production in the state (Das & Melo, 2022; Boi et al., 2024). This downward trend can be attributed to multiple constraining factors, including difficult terrain, climate change, inefficient farm management practices, ageing plantations, lack of interest among private investors, inadequate marketing infrastructure, and the absence of processing units (Devachandra, 2021). Against this backdrop, the present study aims to examine the status of orange, large cardamom, and apple cultivation in Arunachal Pradesh by comparing the state’sperformance with that of other major producing states in India in terms of growth, productivity, and share in total national production. In addition, the study analyzes district-wise growth trends in area and production within Arunachal Pradesh to gain a deeper understanding of intra-state variations.