Likely drop in onion output in FY18 but higher potato harvest beckons

India's onion production in 2017-18 is expected to be 21.4 million tonnes, around 4.5 per cent less than last year due to lss sowing.However, potato output is expected at 49.3 mt, around one per cent more than last year, showed the first advance estimate for horticultural crops. These were issued on Tuesday. A fall in onion production might push up prices for consumers. For potato farmers, it could be another bad year in terms of prices; the 2017-18 harvest would come after a 12 per cent rise in 2016-17 production at 48.6 mt. Onion sowing is estimated at 1.19 mn hectares in 2017-18 or 8.4 per cent less than last year. Potatoes were sown on 21.76 mn ha, marginally less than the 21.79 mn of last year.Overall, the horticulture sector continues to outperform cereals in volume terms and total production in 2017-18 (starting July) is projected at 305.4 mt, almost 1.6 per cent more than the final estimate for 2016-17 and a new high.Tomato production in 2017-18 is expected to be 22.3 mt or ...