Table of Contents
Introduction
Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia), also known as karela or bitter melon, is an essential vegetable in Indian cuisine. It is renowned for its unique flavor and numerous health benefits. It is used in a variety of dishes such as karela sabji, stuffed karela, and karela juice, as well as side dishes like karela fries, which are popular across different regions. Bitter gourd is particularly valued for its bitter taste, which aids digestion and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
India is one of the world’s leading producers of karela, thanks to its favorable climate and the crop’s popularity among Indian farmers. The total bitter gourd production in India for 2023-24 stands at 1.727 megatonnes. In this blog, we will discuss in detail the top 10 karela-producing states in India.
Now, let us discuss the top 10 Bitter gourd-producing states in India in 2023-24 in detail.

Top 10 Bitter Gourd Producing States in India
- Madhya Pradesh
- Gujarat
- Tamil Nadu
- Chhattisgarh
- Odisha
- Uttar Pradesh
- Bihar
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Andhra Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh ranks first in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 333.88 kilotonnes, accounting for 19.3% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 246.2 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Madhya Pradesh include Dhar and Tonk Khurd districts.
Gujarat

Gujarat ranks second in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 245.78 kilotonnes, accounting for 14.2% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 176.7 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Gujarat include Kheda and Surendranagar.
Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu ranks third in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 146.69 kilotonnes, accounting for 8.5% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 59.2 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Tamil Nadu include Tiruppur and Coimbatore.
Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh ranks fourth in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 141.84 kilotonnes, accounting for 8.2% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 132.5 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Chhattisgarh include Raipur and Mungeli.
Odisha

Odisha ranks fifth in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 137.05 kilotonnes, accounting for 7.9% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 137.9 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Odisha include Jajpur and Berhampur.

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh ranks sixth in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 100.54 kilotonnes, accounting for 5.8% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 52.6 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Uttar Pradesh include Unnao and Sultanpur.
Bihar

Bihar ranks seventh in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 92.07 kilotonnes, accounting for 5.3% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 113.7 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Bihar include Kaimur and Siwan.
Punjab

Punjab ranks eighth in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 89.35 kilotonnes, accounting for 5.2% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 44.1 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Punjab include Amritsar, Barnala, Bathinda, and Jalandhar.
Haryana

Haryana ranks ninth in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 81.44 kilotonnes, accounting for 4.7% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 75.0 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Haryana include Sirsa, Hisar, Faridabad, Jhajjar, and Panchkula.
Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh ranks tenth in bitter gourd production in India in 2023-24, with a total output of 69.18 kilotonnes, accounting for 4.0% of the country’s total production. Bitter gourds were cultivated over an area of approximately 14.4 km² in the state. The major bitter gourd-producing regions in Andhra Pradesh include Kurnool, Visakhapatnam, and Chittoor.

Top 10 States Based on Productivity of Bitter Gourd Farming
- Andhra Pradesh
- Telangana
- Tamil Nadu
- Punjab
- Uttar Pradesh
- Gujarat
- Madhya Pradesh
- Haryana
- Chhatisghar
- Tripura
Fun Facts About Bitter Gourd
- Bitter gourd has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to treat ailments such as diabetes, purify the blood, and aid digestion.
- Bitter gourd belongs to the same family as cucumbers, melons, and squash.
- There are mainly two types of bitter gourd, with the darker green variety being more bitter than the lighter green one.
- Bitter gourd is rich in vitamins A and C, which help improve skin health and boost immunity.
- India produces more than half of the world’s total bitter gourd supply.
- Not just the fruit, but also the leaves of bitter gourd are used in soups and other dishes.
- Bitter gourd can be soaked in salt water to reduce its bitterness before cooking.
- The bitter taste of bitter gourd comes from a chemical compound called cucurbitacin.
- Bitter gourd varies in shape and size depending on the region. The Indian variety is usually narrower, with sharp-pointed ends and a rough surface, whereas the Chinese variety is longer, with a smoother surface and rounded ends.
Common FAQs
Q. In India, which state is the largest producer of bitter gourd?
A. Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of bitter gourd in India in 2023-24.
Q. Which state is the second-largest producer of bitter gourd in India?
A. Gujarat is the second-largest producer of bitter gourd in India in 2023-24.
Q. What are the top five states leading in bitter gourd production in India?
A. The top five bitter gourd-producing states in India in 2023-24 are Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
Q. What is the scientific name of bitter gourd?
A. The scientific name of bitter gourd is Momordica charantia.
Q. To which family does bitter gourd belong?
A. Bitter gourd belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family.
Q. What are the other Indian names of bitter gourd?
A. Bitter gourd is known as Karela, Kakarakaya, Pavakkai, Karavella, Kathilla, Kareli, etc., in different regions of India.
Q. Which state has the highest bitter gourd productivity?
A. Andhra Pradesh has the highest bitter gourd productivity in India.
Q. Which state has the largest area under bitter gourd cultivation?
A. Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under bitter gourd cultivation in India.
Q. What is India’s total area under bitter gourd cultivation?
A. India’s total area under bitter gourd cultivation is 1,348.0 km².
