IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURE IMPORTANCE IN EPICS INCREASE IN GRAIN PRODUCTION FROM 50MILL TONS TO 200MILLTONS VARIATION IN AGRI GROWTH IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF COUNTRY TARGET GROWTH RATE OF 4%

Its’ importance……. PROVIDES RAW MATERIAL FOR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. IMPORTANCE IN CULTURES, TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS. PROVIDES LIVELIHOOD TO 70% OF LABOR FORCE. IMPORTANCE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE.

FOREIGN TRADE (In US $ billion) 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 EXPORT 44.1 43.8 51.7 IMPORT 50.0 50.7 59.4 BALANCE -5.90 -6.9 -7.7

DATAS (in crores) 1970-71 1980-81 1990-91 1995-96 1998-99 GDP 39708 122427 477814 1006286 1612383 GDP IN AGRI 16821 42466 135162 255613 428680 TOTAL EXPORTS 1535 6711 32558 106353 141604 AGRI EXPORTS 487 2057 6019 20344 25225

INDIA ATTAINED SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN FOOD GRAIN PRODUCTION IN 1998. FOOD PRODUCTION IN 2003-04 IS 210.8 MILLION TONS. GROWTH RATE WAS HIGHER IN 1996-97…..i.e, 9.6% AGRICULTURE GROWTH HAS GOT MULTIPLIER EFFECT IN ECONOMY.

INDIA HAS GOT 130 MILL HA OF CULTIVABLE LAND 12.9% OF POPULATION OWNS 65% OF THE CULTIVATED AREA. AGRICULTURE IS THE MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME FOR TWO-THIRDS OF THE POPULATION 3% GROWTH IN AGRI LEAD TO 2.6% GROWTH OF INDUSTRY.

NET CAPITA AVAILABILITY OF FOOD GRAINS NET AVAILABILITY OF FOOD GRAINS= GROSS PRODUCTION-SEED-FEED-WASTAGE-EXPORTS+IMPORTS-----(1) (1)/POPULATION ESTIMATES FOR A YR 1951 – 394.9gm 2002 – 491.2gm

Area sown more than once = 48.51 m ha Cropping intensity = 134.3 m ha Geographic area= 328.73 m ha Net area sown = 141.23 Total cropped area = 189.74 Area sown more than once = 48.51 m ha Cropping intensity = 134.3 m ha Gross irrigated area = 76.34 mha Net irrigated area = 57.24 mha

PRODUCTION OF CROPS (2002-03) RICE- 75.72 MILLION TONNES ----W. BENGAL IS THE MAJOR PRODUCER—16.39% WHEAT-69.32 MILLION TONES ---- U.P IS THE MAJOR PRODUCER—34.84% FOOD GRAIN PRODUCTION = 182.57 MILL TONNES

Minimum support prices Paddy = 5.50/- per Kg Maize = 5.05/- Per kg Cotton = 13.60 /- per bale

POPULATION OF AGRICULTURAL WORKERS YR TOTAL POPULATION(million) AGRICULTURE LABOURERS CULTIVATORS (million) 1951 361.1 27.3 (19.5%) 69.9 (49.9%) 2001 1027 107.5 (million) 127.6

SHARE OF PUBLIC SECTOR OUTLAY & EXPENDITURE PLAN PLAN OUTLAY (CRORES) % SHARE TO TOTAL OUTLAY NINTH PLAN 42,462 4.9% TENTH PLAN 20,668 5.2%

DARKER SIDE OF AGRICULTURE CAPITAL INADEQUACY LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRAINTS IN DEMAND SIDE INSUFFICIENCY IN INPUT SUBSIDIES IN AGRI EXPENDITURE.

Problems in Indian Agriculture 1.Inherent Problem of irrigation: 63% of arable land is rainfed. Only 35 % of production come from that. 2.Fragmented land holdings: Average size of land holdings declining. 59% of operational land is marginal holdings i.e.less than 1 hectare.

3.Indiscriminate use of HYVs and declining productivity. Use of more inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. Reduction in soil fertility. Crop failures and suicides. 4.Structural problems. Limited liberalization in Agriculture. Dangerous shift towards cash crops. Need for sustainable growth.

Problems continued…….. 5.Lack of proper agricultural policies: Reform in agriculture sector. Open trade policies. Weak agricultural research base. 6.Lack of Integrated approach towards Wasteland development 175 mha of land under some degradation. Overgrazing and overexploitation of land. Long term investment required.

Suggestions: Proper post harvest technologies. Training centers for farmers. National centre for crop forecasting Integrated crop insurance schemes. Regeneration of wastelands at community level. Increase in plan allocation of Agriculture. Bring more area under irrigation through five year plans.

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