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Agriculture | grain revolution

August 19, 2022
Bharat Times

From an agricultural economy struggling to feed its people to self-reliance and surplus, the story of Indian agriculture has been one of many milestones and few reversals.

Farmers load harvesters in UP’s field, 2021; (Photo: Chandradeep Kumar)

IOver the years, several global organizations monitoring agriculture have recognized India as one of the largest producers of fresh fruits such as banana, mango, guava, papaya, lemon, as well as vegetables such as okra and aubergine, and pulses such as chickpeas. listed in. They trace India’s progress in the production of important spices such as chilli and ginger as well as fibrous crops such as jute, cotton and oilseeds such as mustard, castor and millet. India is, at present, one of the largest producers of wheat and rice, as well as livestock and poultry. Agriculture contributes 17-19 per cent to the country’s GDP, although we still export about $50 billion worth of produce.

IOver the years, several global organizations monitoring agriculture have recognized India as one of the largest producers of fresh fruits such as banana, mango, guava, papaya, lemon, as well as vegetables such as okra and aubergine, and pulses such as chickpeas. listed in. They trace India’s progress in the production of important spices such as chilli and ginger as well as fibrous crops such as jute, cotton and oilseeds such as mustard, castor and millet. India is, at present, one of the largest producers of wheat and rice, as well as livestock and poultry. Agriculture contributes 17-19 per cent to the country’s GDP, although we still export about $50 billion worth of produce.

In the mid-1960s, when the country was shaken by back-to-back droughts and the residual effects of the Indo-Pak war, the nation was driven to go for the Green Revolution – the use of more scientific methods and higher yields. Using seeds and fertilizers to produce more grains (wheat and rice) to feed the population.

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By the 1990s, India opened up its economy to the world, and with the rise of a new-middle class, demand for high-value crops increased. This new class was not only consuming more, but was also looking for more processed food. It saw large-scale entry of private investment. The lack of trust between private players and farmers is forcing farmers to look to APMC markets to sell their produce. Fears that corporates might dominate farmers have halted reforms in agriculture. The Narendra Modi-led government tried to ease restrictions with new agricultural laws, but it faced widespread opposition and had to be withdrawn. The government is now focusing on creating a better web of cooperatives and farmer-producer organizations (FPOs) with missions to promote natural and organic farming and micro/small financing schemes to help farmers.