Agriculture in India, an overview

India is the second largest producers of wheat and rice in the world and the contribution of the agriculture sector has been magnificent for many decades. Bu the pace of the agriculture growth has been unable to complete with the growth rate of the Indian economy.

Agriculture and allied sectors have been contributing around 16 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2009. India is a country of rural population and majority of the population do reside in villages, where the reach of the tertiary sector is limited or beyond their reach.

The poor infrastructure and irrigation facilities were some of the major concerns that Indian famers have been facing. Considering the job sector in India, agriculture still plays vital role in job creations. Youth in rural area have been engaged in the agriculture sectors and contributing a lot in the development of the nation in both social and economical.

The recent reports of farmers suicide were some the stains on the India system that should need the proper attention towards their problem. However, the agriculture credit waiving schemes were some of the major schemes that government has started in that direction.

Despite the hindrances, India becomes the second largest producer of several dry fruits, agriculture-based textile raw materials, roots and tuber crops, pulses, farmed fish, eggs, coconut, sugarcane and numerous vegetables in the world.

Comparing to the industrial growth index the agriculture sector has been performing well and it should be given chances to excel further. The Gramin Sadak Yojna and golden quadrilateral projects helped a lot to farmers and ultimately given some benefit to the agriculture sector.

The major aim was to connect the rural area to urban area has been successful, which was proved a milestone in the growth of agriculture sector in India. As per the macro economics terms, agriculture in India involves seasonal employment due the lack for proper irrigation facilities.

But the scenario has been changed in some areas, where farmers are getting benefit of double crops including Kharif crop. Earlier, they used to have single crop after the monsoon, the double crop has doubled the productivity.

Due the monsoon, the green revolution might not be witnessed in all the states of India leaving few, those have been good record of agriculture production.

In fiscal year ending June 2011, with a normal monsoon season, Indian agriculture accomplished an all-time record production of 85.9 million tons of wheat, a 6.4 percent increase from a year earlier. Rice output in India also hit a new record at 95.3 million tons, a 7% increase from the year earlier.

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Agriculture Sector in India in 2012

Agriculture has been sensitive issue in India particularly about the subsidies to the farmers. The year 2012 was good a year for agriculture in India, as India produced a record 25.77 million tones of food grains during 2011-12. Here are some the statics:

• Experts believe strategies for rejuvenating agriculture sector to achieve 4% per annum rate of growth have started producing results: average annual growth rate achieved in the agriculture and allied sector during 11th Plan has improved to 3.3% as against 2.5% and 2.4% in the Ninth and Tenth Plan periods, respectively.
• The 11th Five Year Plan period has seen an increase in total food grain production of 173.38 million tonnes over the 10th Five Year Plan period. This despite two years of drought in various parts of the country in 2009-10 and 2010-11. 
• Gross Capital Formation (GCF) in agriculture and allied sectors as a proportion of the GDP in the sector stagnated around 14% during 2004-05 to 2006-07. It has jumped to 20.1% in 2010-11 at constant 2004-05 prices. 
• Plan outlay of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation increased from Rs.15,000 crore in 10th Five Year Plan to Rs.66, 577 crores in the 11th Five Year Plan and is likely to be further increased to Rs.1,34,746 crores during 12th Five Year Plan. 
• The flow of agriculture credit in 2011-12 reached Rs.4,68,000 crore from a level of Rs.86, 981 crore in 2003-04. The target for agriculture credit for 2012-13 has been raised to Rs. 5,75,000 crore 
• To make cheap agriculture credit available to farmers for short term crop loan, incentive of additional interest subvention has been increased to 3% for farmers who repay their loan on schedule, thus making the effective rate of interest to 4% per annum only. 
• In order to make available fertilizer at affordable prices to farmers, two Biofertilizers, one Organic Manure, two Fortified fertilizers, Urea briquette and Zinc Oxide suspension have been incorporated in Fertilizer Control Order (FCO). 
• National Seeds Corporation has introduced 44 newer varieties in the production to improve the product basket.

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Agriculture in India: Now And Then

India is an agricultural country, and its main source of revenue is derived from agriculture, with the effects of rapid industrialization and boom in IT sector, the focus has shifted from, agriculture, to industries, IT and ITES sector. Agriculture was the financial back bone of India. But sadly, due to the negligence of the field, and all other factors, now, agriculture and the farmer are in a very pitiable state.

Those were the days, when chemicals and fertilizers, were never heard of being used in agriculture and in cultivation, People followed, traditional methods for cultivation, and they were able to get sufficient yield. There was no shortage of seeds fertilizers, people used to make their own seeds and fertilizers. But, sadly as the dependence on fertilizers and chemicals started, and farmers started depending on government for the supply of seeds, there is lot of havoc in the agricultural field, and we can see farmers coming out on streets to protest the shortage fertilizers and seeds. The retailers and wholesalers who supply seeds and fertilizers have also started exploiting the farmer in many ways, by supplying them with, duplicate products.

When all the supply is available, whether will not be good, and when whether and supply of other needed things is ok, they is no sufficient money to purchase, seeds and fertilizers, or there are, problems of loans and interest, farmers life has really become, very, very pitiable, and if farmers are committing suicide no wonder, their lives have become so. This is one of the reasons why we are seeing more agricultural lands are being sold away to real estate people, and agricultural lands are getting converted to residential plots. When people follow traditional and natural methods for developing fertilizers, there is no harm to the cultivated land, but when people use chemicals and pesticides, the essence of the field or the land gets destroyed and the land becomes, infertile, gradually. Not only this when they on their own make arrangements for fertilizers and seeds, they are not dependent on others for supply.

Following scientific methods for cultivation, is not bad, as long as you are taking care of long term benefits. When one follows scientific methods of cultivation, they have to follow it fully and should be aware if they can access all the facilities such as, soil testing, guidance of agricultural authorities right from sowing seeds till they cut the crop, if all these things are there it is best to follow scientific methods under able guidance and get good yield.

But where these facilities are hardly available it is always best to rely on traditional and time tested methods, for growing crops organically, or chemical free environment, there are many voluntary organization now a days, training farmers on the methods and benefits of following the path of organic growth of crops. There is also great demand for the organically grown crops, as the people are getting aware of its health benefits. So, making a right choice by the farmer is very important, for him to get a good yield and to have a good life, and it is also the responsibility of the government and other Ngos to extent their part of support, and to empower farmer with the required knowledge, in this matter. Then again we will be able to see fertile India and green India.

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