Tag: TRENDS AND IMPLICATIONS OF CROP CULTIVATION IN INDIA

Agricultural trends show rising acreage of rice and wheat, backed by government support, improved yields, and policy incentives. Other crops like cotton, soybean, and pulses show fluctuating or declining cultivation due to price instability and lower returns. Trends in Crop Cultivation in India Increased Cultivation Rice: Punjab: ↑ from 8 lh (lakh hectares) (2015–16) to 32.4 lh (2024–25) Telangana: ↑ from 5 lh to 47 lh Wheat: Madhya Pradesh: ↑ from 1 lh to 78.1 lh Declining Cultivation Cotton: Punjab: ↓ from 4 lh to 1 lh Telangana: ↓ from 6 lh (2020–21) to 18.1 lh Chickpea (Chana): Madhya Pradesh: ↓ from 2 lh to 20.1 lh Soybean: MP: ↓ from 1 lh (2015–16) to 57.8 lh (2024–25); peaked at 66.7 lh in 2020–21 Why Rice and Wheat Dominate? MSP & Procurement Assurance: Reliable government procurement ensures income stability. Irrigation Support: Access to canal/groundwater reduces yield risk. Genetic Advancements: Rice: Kamala: CRISPR-edited Samba Mahsuri with 2× grain output, faster maturity, and water efficiency. Pusa DST Rice 1: Edited DST gene to improve heat, salt, and drought tolerance. Wheat: Kalyan Sona & Sonalika: Green Revolution varieties that boosted yield and resilience. Market & Demand: Staple food in PDS, Mid-Day Meals, welfare schemes ensures steady demand. Policy & Infrastructure Bias: Better mandis, storage, and subsidies for cereals. Schemes like PM-KISAN and fertilizer subsidies favor rice/wheat. Implications of Overdependence on Rice-Wheat System Nutritional & Environmental Issues Low dietary diversity: Carbohydrate-heavy, lacks proteins/micronutrients. Soil degradation: Overuse of water and fertilizers causing salinity. Salinity-prone areas may rise to 11 million ha by 2030. Water Stress Rice’s high water demand depletes groundwater. Over-extraction rates: Punjab (66%), Rajasthan (51%), Haryana (34%) Market & Ecological Risks Market distortion due to MSP-induced monoculture. Import dependency: 60% of edible oil Regional imbalances: Irrigated NW India gains more, rainfed/tribal areas lag. Monoculture vulnerability: Threat of diseases (e.g., Wheat Blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum). India’s Crop Diversification Initiatives Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) Mission for Cotton Productivity Mission for Self-reliance in Pulses National Mission on High Yielding Seeds Recommended Measures for Agricultural Diversification 1. Policy & Institutional Reforms Expand MSP to include millets, pulses, oilseeds. Implement Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS). Strengthen FPOs and local mandis for non-cereal crops. 2. Promote Climate-Resilient Crops Support millets via National Millet Mission. Boost pulses, oilseeds, horticulture 3. Strengthen Market Access Expand e-NAM, promote contract farming, and agri-startups. Support exports of high-value crops (e.g., spices, organic products). 4. Infrastructure & Technology Invest in cold chains, warehouses, food processing under PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana. 5. Financial Support & Modern Techniques Expand PMFBY to cover diverse crops. Lower interest rate loans for non-cereal cultivation. Train farmers via Skill India, promote Kisan Drones. 6. Region-Specific Strategies Punjab-Haryana: Shift to cotton, maize, agroforestry. Eastern India: Promote flood-resistant rice, aquaculture. Rainfed Areas: Focus on millets, pulses, dryland farming. Over-reliance on rice and wheat is causing nutritional, environmental, and economic distortions. Diversification through targeted policy reform, climate-smart agriculture, and market infrastructure is essential for long-term agricultural sustainability, food security, and farmer prosperity.

Tag: TRENDS AND IMPLICATIONS OF CROP CULTIVATION IN INDIA

TRENDS AND IMPLICATIONS OF CROP CULTIVATION IN INDIA

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