Context:
A recent report by the Economics and Statistics Division of the UP government’s Planning Department highlights that the primary sector, especially agriculture, has greatly contributed to the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023-24.
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- According to the report prepared by the Economics and Statistics Division of the UP government’s Planning Department, crops accounted for 16.8% of the state’s GDP during this period, reflecting a 13.74% growth compared to the previous year.
- The primary sector contributed ₹6.35 lakh crore to Uttar Pradesh’s total GDP of ₹25.63 lakh crore in 2023–24, with ₹3.96 lakh crore coming from the crop sector alone.
- The report noted that at least 37 districts experienced a growth rate exceeding the state average of 13.7%.
- The crop sector’s Gross State Value Added (GSVA) was primarily driven by foodgrains, which accounted for 40.68% of the GSVA.
- Fruits and vegetables contributed 22.58%, while sugarcane made up 19.4% of the GSVA.
- Uttar Pradesh has consistently been self-sufficient in foodgrain production and has maintained a leading position nationally in wheat and sugarcane production.
- In 2023-24, the state produced 6.68 crore tonnes of foodgrain and 3.98 crore tonnes of wheat, accounting for 18.14% and 31.19% of India’s total foodgrain and wheat production, respectively.
- In 2023-24, Uttar Pradesh produced 2,495 lakh tonnes of sugarcane.
- The report indicates that state government interventions, such as timely payments and efficient crushing processes, contributed to the sector’s growth.
- The top five districts leading in sugarcane production are Lakhimpur Kheri (3.22 crore tonnes), Bijnor (2.37 crore tonnes), Sitapur (1.9 crore tonnes), Muzaffarnagar (1.68 crore tonnes), and Meerut (1.46 crore tonnes).
- Districts with highest increase in sugarcane production were Azamgarh (53.5%), Mau (49.6%), Jaunpur (33.7%), Rae Bareli (24.7%), and Mathura (21%).
- The state accounted for 11.6% of India’s total paddy production, yielding 2.65 crore tonnes.
- The paddy sector benefited from water conservation programs, with regions such as Bundelkhand and Purvanchal experiencing production increases of 2.09% and 7.89%, respectively.
- Initiatives like the Khet Talab Yojana and Amrit Sarovar helped improve groundwater levels, resulting in higher crop yields.
- Several agricultural products from Uttar Pradesh are gaining international recognition through Geographical Indication (GI) tags. Examples include Kala Namak rice from Siddharthnagar, Aamla from Pratapgarh, Dussehri mangoes from Malihabad, and Adamchini rice from Chandauli.
- Mango exports reached 567.62 tonnes in 2023-24, marking a 7.59% increase from the previous year.
- The top five districts contributing most to mango production are Unnao, Lucknow, Saharanpur, Meerut, and Sitapur, while Chitrakoot, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Banda, and Lalitpur showed the highest growth in mango production.