GROWTH TRENDS IN EXPORT OF HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN INDIA – AN ANALYSIS

India, a prominent agrarian economy, strategically emphasizes export-led growth in the era of economic liberalization. The horticulture sector's growth trajectory differs markedly from broader agriculture. Initiated by the Green Revolution, late diversification in the 1980s included horticultural crops, emphasizing revenue generation over pure food security. Economic reforms in the 1990s accelerated this diversification, responding to rising domestic demand and export opportunities. In this context, the present paper analyzes the growth trends in horticulture exports in India, with a focus on identifying potential areas for further expansion. The horticulture sector contributes significantly to India's farm revenue, livelihood stability, and foreign exchange generation through exports. The paper uses secondary data from various sources and calculates CAGR and CV for the period 2001-02 to 2020-21 to analyze the growth trends in export volume and value across various horticultural categories. The preliminary findings indicate positive growth trends in the horticulture export sector, with notable potential for further sectoral growth. The paper concludes by highlighting the crucial role of the government in infrastructure development, research promotion, and incentivizing farmers to harness this potential for sustained growth in the horticulture export.