Summary:
The area under various fruit crops during 2016-17 was 7.42 lakh ha of which the area under mango was 1.57 lakh ha, orange 1.08 lakh ha, sweet orange 0.33 lakh ha, pomegranate 1.41 lakh ha, banana 0.82 lakh ha, sapota 0.16 lakh ha and grapes 1.04 lakh ha. In a bid to consolidate its position as a leader in agriculture exports, the state government will soon formulate its own policy. Maharashtra currently accounts for more than 50% of the country's agriculture exports. The state government has already taken a decision to develop six clusters in accordance with the Centre's agri-export policy. The government has formed an 11-member committee headed by the agriculture commissioner Suhas Diwase to pen the policy and submit it by May 31..