Bananas and Chillies Spice Up India’s Agricultural Growth Story
India’s farm sector has seen a flavorful transformation, with bananas and chillies making stronger contributions to the country’s agricultural output than at any point in the last decade, according to an analysis by Moneycontrol . Bananas have emerged as a standout performer, surpassing mangoes in FY23 as the top fruit contributor to India’s GDP—and further strengthening their lead in FY24. Recent government data reveals that bananas accounted for 10.7% of the country’s total fruit and vegetable output in FY24, up from 10.5% in FY23 and a notable increase from 9% in FY12. Today, fruits and vegetables collectively contribute to over 25% of India’s total food output. Spices, too, are claiming a larger share in the country’s agricultural pie. Since FY19, spices and condiments have overtaken pulses in terms of their contribution to domestic farm output. In FY24, they accounted for 5.9% of India’s food output, with chillies alone responsible for more than 22% of that share—an increa...