According to the Department of Economics and Statistics, Cropping Intensity (CI) of the State in 2023-24 was 128.6 per cent. Coconut constituted the major share of the total cropped area with 30.2 per cent followed by rubber with 21.6 per cent. Food crops comprising of rice, pulses, tapioca, ragi, small millets, sweet potato and other tubers constituted 9.8 per cent and plantation crops such as tea, coffee, rubber and cardamom constituted 28 per cent of the total cropped area. Rice constituted 7.1 per cent of the total cropped area in 2023-24.

             Among food crops, the production of pulses, ragi, small millets and sweet potato recorded an increase in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23 by 17.3 per cent, 35.8 per cent, 56.3 per cent, and 1.4 per cent respectively, and the production of rice declined by 10.5 per cent. Among spices, pepper and cardamom reported an increase in production by 11.4 per cent and 3.2 per cent respectively. The area of coconut in 2023-24 recorded an increase of 0.7 per cent over 2022-23, and the production and productivity of coconut declined in 2023-24. The production of rubber in the State reported an increase by 1.7 per cent in 2023-24 over 2022- 23. Data regarding the area, production and productivity of principal crops grown in Kerala are shown below:

Rice:

Area, Production & Productivity 2012-23

                 The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) reported that the worldwide rice production was 530.1 million tonnes in 2023–2024. China was the top producer of rice in the world, followed by India. According to the final estimate of production of food grains, rice production in India was estimated at 1,378.3 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, with an increase of 20.7 lakh tonnes over the previous year.  

                   In 2023-24, the area under rice cultivation (wetland) in the State decreased to 1.8 lakh ha showing a decrease of 5.9 per cent compared to 2022-23. The production and productivity of wetland rice in 2023-24 was 5.3 lakh tones and 2,963 kg per ha respectively. They registered a decrease of 10.5 per cent and 4.9 per cent respectively over 2022-23.

                 Rice constituted 7.1 per cent of the total cropped area in the State in 2023-24. In the last 10 years, the highest share of area under paddy was recorded in 2020-21 i.e. 2 lakh ha with a production of 6.3 lakh tonnes. The details are given below:

                   Season-wise data of rice reveals that the area under Mundakan (winter) crop increased and that of Virippu (autumn) and Puncha (summer) crops decreased in 2023-24 over the previous year. The seasonal production and productivity recorded a decline in all the three seasons. Similar to the previous year, the Puncha season recorded the highest productivity with 3,238 kg per ha. In 2023- 24 highest productions (2.1 lakh tonnes) was in the Mundakan season. The details are given here. 

                 Mundakan crop contributed 40 per cent of the total cultivated area of paddy in 2023-24 with 28,999.9 ha of area in Palakkad District (Appendix 3.1.7). In the Virippu season, a total of 29,471.7 ha of paddy was in Palakkad District followed by Alappuzha District (6,458.1 ha). The Puncha crop was dominant in Alappuzha District (27,153 ha). The details are given here.

                Palakkad, Alappuzha, Thrissur, and Kottayam Districts accounted for about 81 per cent of the total area of rice in the State contributing to 82.5 per cent of the total rice production. Palakkad District stood first with respect to area and production of rice in the State followed by Alappuzha District. As for productivity, Alappuzha District (3,346 kg per ha) stood first followed by Malappuram District (3,231 kg per ha). In 2023- 24, the production of rice (wetland) in Alappuzha, Kozhikode, and Kannur Districts recorded an increase compared to 2022-23. The highest increase in rice (wetland) production in 2023- 24 was recorded in Alappuzha District (increase by 10,795.6 tonnes). According to the data of Department of Economics and Statistics, in 2023- 24, Palakkad District recorded the largest decline in rice production (22.1 per cent) under wetland category. The details are given here.             

 Coconut: 

Area, Production & Productivity 2013-22
 

                  According to Food and Agriculture Organization Statistics 2021, Indonesia stands first in coconut production in the world followed by Philippines, India and Sri Lanka.

                According to the advance estimate of 2022-23, the area under coconut in India was 21.77 lakh hectare with a production of 19,602 million nuts and productivity of 9,003 nuts per hectare. Among the coconut growing States, the southern States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh accounts for 89.35 per cent of the total area and 90.59 per cent of the total production. According to Coconut Development Board, white fly infestation and Gaja Cyclone in Tamil Nadu, drought in Karnataka during 2017 to 2019, increase in the input cost, mainly fertilizer cost had contributed to low production in the country during 2018-19 to 2022-23 from 21,288 million nuts to 19,602 million nuts.

               In 2022-23, coconut was cultivated in 7.60 lakh ha occupying 30 per cent of the gross cropped area in the State. According to the data of Coconut Development Board, even though Kerala has reduced area of coconut compared to the previous year 2021-22, it holds first position in production in the Country due to concentrated efforts of the State and Coconut Development Board. The production and productivity in 2022-23 increased to 5,641 million nuts and 7,419 nuts per ha respectively. However, the performance of coconut sector in the State has been fluctuating over the last five years. 

 Pepper: 

Area, Production & Productivity 2012-22
 

                  According to the International Pepper Community, the global production of pepper is estimated to decline to 5.26 lakh tonnes in 2023 compared to 5.38 lakh tonnes in 2022. Vietnam, maintained its first position in pepper production contributing to 37.1 per cent of the global pepper production.

                    As per the advance estimate of Spices Board, pepper production in India in 2022-23 is estimated at 64 thousand tonnes, a decline from 70 thousand tonnes recorded in 2021-22. Karnataka stood first in terms of area and production of pepper in the country contributing to 56 per cent of the total pepper production, followed by Kerala.

                 The steady increase in domestic price of pepper observed since 2021 continued in 2022 and recorded an increase to Rs. 516.63 per kg against the price of Rs. 419.44 per kg in 2021. According to the Department of Economics and Statistics GoK, the area and production of pepper in the State recorded a decline in 2022-23 compared to 2021-22. The production of pepper declined by 4,862 tonnes recording 27,654 tonnes from an area of 73,732 ha.
 

Cashew: 

Area, Production & Productivity  2012-22
       

                  According to FAO Statistics 2022, Cote d’ Ivoire retained its first position in cashew nut production in the world followed by India.

                According to the Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development statistics the national production of raw cashew nuts in 2022-23 was 7.82 lakh tonnes which is an increase of 30 thousand tonnes over 2021-22. The area under cashew also recorded an increase to 11.92 lakh hectare from 11.84 lakh hectare. The details are shown below:

                             Kerala came sixth in the country with a production of 74,630 tonnes from an area of 1.08 lakh hectare. The extent of cashew cultivation as well as its production in the State recorded an increase of 2100 hectare and 2,870 tonnes respectively over 2021-22. 

Plantation Crops:

                 Kerala has a substantial share in the four plantation crops of rubber, tea, coffee and cardamom. These four crops together occupied 7.11 lakh ha, accounting for 27.7 per cent of the total cropped area in the State. Kerala’s share in the national production of rubber is 72.6 per cent. The percentage share in cardamom, coffee and tea were 91.3 per cent, 20.5 per cent and 5.2 per cent respectively in the year 2020-21. The details are given here. 

                  In view of the potential for export, employment generation and poverty alleviation, plantation crops play a vital role in the national and State economy. Kerala has a substantial share in the four plantation crops viz. rubber, tea, coffee and cardamom. These four crops together occupied 7.11 lakh ha, accounting to 28.2 per cent of the total cropped area in the State and the details are given here.  

                 Kerala’s share in the national production of rubber is 72 per cent while that of cardamom, coffee and tea were 91 per cent, 20.4 per cent and 4.5 per cent respectively in 2021-22. Considering the significant role of plantation crops in the economy, focus on initiatives to improve processing and value addition of produces of plantation crops in addition to expanding, replanting and productivity, can enhance the revenue flow from plantations.

             In view of the potential for export, employment generation and poverty alleviation, plantation crops play a vital role in the National and State economy. Kerala has a substantial share in the four plantation crops viz. rubber, tea, coffee and cardamom. These four crops together occupied 7.12 lakh ha, accounting to 28.3 per cent of the total cropped area in the State. Kerala’s share in the national production of rubber is 71.4 per cent. The percentage share of cardamom, coffee and tea were 90.6 per cent, 20.6 per cent and 4.8 per cent respectively in 2022-23. The details are given below:

Rubber:

Area, Production & Productivity 2013-22

                   As per the Rubber Board Statistics, the natural rubber production in the country in 2022-23 showed improvement over the previous year, with a growth of 8.3 per cent recording 8.39 lakh tonnes. Out of the 7.38 lakh ha of tappable area under natural rubber, 5.66 lakh ha contributed to the NR production. The average yield measured in terms of tapped area increased from 1472 kg per hectare to 1482 kg per ha.

                    The natural rubber consumption peaked to 13.5 lakh tonnes in 2022-23, 9 per cent more than the quantity consumed in 2021-22. The import of natural rubber in 2022-23, declined by 3.2 per cent to 5.29 lakh tonnes compared to 5.46 lakh tonnes in 2021-22. As against the dip in rubber export to 3,560 tonnes in 2021-22, the volume of natural rubber exports from the country recorded an increase to 3,700 tonnes in 2022-23. The details are given below: