Impact of farm mechanisation on food grain productivity in India
- Agriculture Situation in India
- 77(11), Feb, 2021: p.13-19
India is the second largest producer of wheat, rice, sugarcane and first in the production of pulses, meat and milk in the world. India produced 284 million tonnes of foodgrain in 2017-18 showing an increase from 275 million tonnes in 2016-17. In India, the total demand for foodgrain would be increasing from 258 million tonnes in the year 2016-17 to 280-285 million tonnes by 2021-22 and 340-355 million tonnes by 2033-34. Though Indian agricultural sector mainly depends on monsoons, the farm power has increased from 1.73kW/ha in 2014 to 2.05 kW/ha in 2017—increase of 17 percent with wide inter states variations. The power used per unit of area under cultivation is much higher in some states like Punjab (4.4 kW/ha), Haryana (4.3 kW/ha) and Tamil Nadu (2.9 kW/ha). The foodgrain productivity is also much higher in Punjab (4292 kg/ha), Haryana (3713 kg/ha) and Tamil Nadu (3810 kg/ha) as compared to other states. The study finds that farm power availability per hectare, expenditure in purchase of seeds and labour, etc. and area under irrigation are the most important inputs for foodgrain productivity. – Reproduced