Help us provide free content to the world by donating today!

[Hide]
The results for Wikimedia's licensing update vote have been [Help us with
announced. View the results here. translations!]

Agriculture in India
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Rice R Wheat W Jowar (Sorghum) J Bajra (Millet) B Areas with two predominate crops

Minor crop Areas in India: P Pulses, S Sugarcane, J Jute, Cn Coconut, C Cotton, and T Tea.
The fertile Ganges River Delta—known for severe flooding and tropical cyclones—supports
cultivation of jute, tea, and rice. Fisheries are both produced and exported from this region.
Agriculture in India has a long history dating back to ten thousand years.
Today, India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry,
logging and fishing accounted for 16.6% of the GDP in 2007, employed 60% of the total
workforce[1] and despite a steady decline of its share in the GDP, is still the largest economic
sector and plays a significant role in the overall socio-economic development of India.
India is the largest producer in the world of milk, cashew nuts, coconuts, tea, ginger, turmeric
and black pepper.[2] It also has the world's largest cattle population (281 million).[3] It is the
second largest producer of wheat, rice, sugar, groundnut and inland fish.[4] It is the third largest
producer of tobacco.[4] India accounts for 10% of the world fruit production with first rank in the
production of banana and sapota.[4]
India has many farm insurance companies that insure wheat, fruit, rice and rubber farmers in the
event of natural disasters or catastrophic crop failure, under the supervision of the Ministry of
Agriculture. One notable company that provides all of these insurance policies is agriculture
insurance company of india and it alone insures almost 20 million farmers.
India's population is growing faster than its ability to produce rice and wheat.[5] The most
important structural reform for self-sufficiency is the ITC Limited plan to connect 20,000
villages to the Internet by 2013.[6] This will provide farmers with up to date crop prices for the
first time, which should minimise losses incurred from neighbouring producers selling early and
in turn facilitate investment in rural areas.

Contents
[hide]
• 1 Overview
• 2 Insurance
• 3 Initiatives
• 4 Problems
• 5 History
• 6 See also
 • 7 Gallery
• 8 Notes
• 9 External links

[edit] Overview
See also: Forestry in India, Animal husbandry in India, and Fishing in India

Composition of India's total production (million tonnes) of foodgrains and commercial crops, in
2003–04.
India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry, logging
and fishing accounted for 18% of the GDP in 2007, employed 70% of the total workforce[1] and
despite a steady decline of its share in the GDP, is still the largest economic sector and plays a
significant role in the overall socio-economic development of India. Yields per unit area of all
crops have grown since 1950, due to the special emphasis placed on agriculture in the five-year
plans and steady improvements in irrigation, technology, application of modern agricultural
practices and provision of agricultural credit and subsidies since Green revolution in India.
However, international comparisons reveal that the average yield in India is generally 30% to
50% of the highest average yield in the world.[7]
Indian Punjab is called the "Granary of India" or "India's bread-basket." [8] It produces 14% of
India's cotton, 20% of India's wheat, and 9% of India's rice.
[edit] Insurance
See also: Insurance in India
India has many farm insurance companies that insure wheat, fruit, rice and rubber farmers in the
event of natural disasters or catastrophic crop failure, under the supervision of the Ministry of
Agriculture. One notable company that provides all of these insurance policies is agriculture
insurance company of india and it alone insures almost 20 million farmers.
[edit] Initiatives
The required level of investment for the development of marketing, storage and cold storage
infrastructure is estimated to be huge. The government has implemented various schemes to raise
investment in marketing infrastructure. Among these schemes are Construction of Rural Go
downs, Market Research and Information Network, and Development / Strengthening of
Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Grading and Standardization.[9]
The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), established in 1905, was responsible for the
research leading to the "Indian Green Revolution" of the 1970s. The Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the apex body in agriculture and related allied fields, including
research and education.[10] The Union Minister of Agriculture is the President of the ICAR. The
Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute develops new techniques for the design of
agricultural experiments, analyses data in agriculture, and specializes in statistical techniques for
animal and plant breeding. Prof. M.S. Swaminathan is known as "Father of the Green
Revolution" and heads the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation.[11] He is known for his
advocacy of environmentally sustainable agriculture and sustainable food security.
[edit] Problems
Slow agricultural growth is a concern for policymakers as some two-thirds of India’s people
depend on rural employment for a living. Current agricultural practices are neither economically
nor environmentally sustainable and India's yields for many agricultural commodities are low.
Poorly maintained irrigation systems and almost universal lack of good extension services are
among the factors responsible. Farmers' access to markets is hampered by poor roads,
rudimentary market infrastructure, and excessive regulation.
—World Bank: "India Country Overview 2008"[12]
The low productivity in India is a result of the following factors:
• According to World Bank's "India: Priorities for Agriculture and Rural Development",
India's large agricultural subsidies are hampering productivity-enhancing investment.
Overregulation of agriculture has increased costs, price risks and uncertainty.
Government intervenes in labor, land, and credit markets. India has inadequate
infrastructure and services.[13] World Bank also says that the allocation of water is
inefficient, unsustainable and inequitable. The irrigation infrastructure is deteriorating.[13]
• Illiteracy, general socio-economic backwardness, slow progress in implementing land
reforms and inadequate or inefficient finance and marketing services for farm produce.
• The average size of land holdings is very small (less than 20,000 m²) and is subject to
fragmentation, due to land ceiling acts and in some cases, family disputes. Such small
holdings are often over-manned, resulting in disguised unemployment and low
productivity of labour.
• Adoption of modern agricultural practices and use of technology is inadequate, hampered
by ignorance of such practices, high costs and impracticality in the case of small land
holdings.
• Irrigation facilities are inadequate, as revealed by the fact that only 52.6% of the land was
irrigated in 2003–04,[14] which result in farmers still being dependent on rainfall,
specifically the Monsoon season. A good monsoon results in a robust growth for the
economy as a whole, while a poor monsoon leads to a sluggish growth.[15] Farm credit is
regulated by NABARD, which is the statutory apex agent for rural development in the
subcontinent.
[edit] History
Main article: History of agriculture in India
Indian agriculture began by 9000 BCE as a result of early cultivation of plants, and
domestication of crops and animals.[16] Settled life soon followed with implements and
techniques being developed for agriculture.[17][18] Double monsoons led to two harvests being
reaped in one year.[19] Indian products soon reached the world via existing trading networks and
foreign crops were introduced to India.[19][20] Plants and animals—considered essential to their
survival by the Indians—came to be worshiped and venerated.[21]
The middle ages saw irrigation channels reach a new level of sophistication in India and Indian
crops affecting the economies of other regions of the world under Islamic patronage.[22][23] Land
and water management systems were developed with an aim of providing uniform growth.[24][25]
Despite some stagnation during the later modern era the independent Republic of India was able
to develop a comprehensive agricultural program.[26][27]
[edit] See also
• Forestry in India
• Fishing in India
• Livestock in India

[edit] Gallery

Natural vegetation zones in South

Onset of the Southwest monsoon in Natural vegetation in Asia.
India. India.
[edit] Notes
1. ^ a b "CIA Factbook: India". CIA Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html. Retrieved on
2008-06-10.
2. ^ Agriculture sector Indo British Partnership network, Retrieved on December 2007
3. ^ Lester R. Brown World's Rangelands Deteriorating Under Mounting Pressure Earth
Policy Institute, Retrieved on- February 2008
4. ^ a b c Indian agriculture Agribusiness Information Centre, Retrieved on- February 2008
5. ^ "The Food Chain in Fertile India, Growth Outstrips Agriculture". New York Times. 22
June 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/business/22indiafood.html?_r=1.
6. ^ "India on the Move". India Reborn (2). 2009-02-17.
7. ^ Datt, Ruddar & Sundharam, K.P.M.. "28". Indian Economy. pp. 485–491.
8. ^ Welcome to Official Web site of Punjab, India
9. ^ Agriculture marketing india.gov Retrieved on- February 2008
 10. ^ Objectives Indian agricultural research institute, Retrieved on December 2007
11. ^ MS Swaminathan Times Inc. Retrieved on- 21 February, 2008
12. ^ "India Country Overview 2008". World Bank. 2008.
http://www.worldbank.org.in/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/I
NDIAEXTN/0,,contentMDK:20195738~menuPK:295591~pagePK:141137~piPK:14112
7~theSitePK:295584,00.html.
13. ^ a b "India: Priorities for Agriculture and Rural Development". World Bank.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/EXT
SAREGTOPAGRI/0,,contentMDK:20273764~menuPK:548214~pagePK:34004173~piP
K:34003707~theSitePK:452766,00.html.
14. ^ Multiple authors (2004). Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2004.
http://dacnet.nic.in/eands/4.6(a)All%20lndia%20Area,%20Production%20and%20Yield
%20of%20Rice.xls.
15. ^ Sankaran, S. "28". Indian Economy: Problems, Policies and Development. pp. 492–
493.
16. ^ Gupta, page 54
17. ^ Harris & Gosden, page 385
18. ^ Lal, R. (August 2001), "Thematic evolution of ISTRO: transition in scientific issues
and research focus from 1955 to 2000", Soil and Tillage Research 61 (1-2): 3–12 [3],
doi:10.1016/S0167-1987(01)00184-2
19. ^ a b agriculture, history of. Encyclopedia Britannica 2008.
20. ^ Shaffer, pages 310-311
21. ^ Gupta, page 57
22. ^ Iqtidar Husain Siddiqui, "Water Works and Irrigation System in India during Pre-
Mughal Times", Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, Vol. 29, No. 1
(Feb., 1986), pp. 52–77.
23. ^ Shaffer, page 315
24. ^ Palat, page 63
25. ^ Kumar, page 182
26. ^ Roy 2006
27. ^ Kumar 2006

[edit] External links

• Indian Agriculture. U.S. Library of Congress.
• Indian Council for Agricultural Research Home Page.
• Website of The Indian Farmers Association
 [show]

Links to related articles

[show]
v•d•e
Science and technology in India

[show]
v•d•e

India topics

Timeline · Economics · Linguistics · Maritime · Military · Science and technology ·

Overviews
Mathematics · Astronomy · Metallurgy · Postage

Stone Age · Indus Valley Civilization · Indo-Aryan migration · Vedic period ·

Pre-
colonial Mahajanapadas · Magadha · Middle kingdoms · Islamic sultanates · Hoysala ·
Cholas · Kakatiya · Vijayanagara · Mughals · Marathas · European trade

East India Company · Plassey · 1857 Rebellion · British Raj · Railways · Economy ·
Colonial Army · Zamindari · Social changes · Political reforms · Princely states · Partition of
Bengal · Independence movement · 1943 famine · World War II · Partition

Integration · Non-Aligned Movement · Five-Year Plan · Sino-Indian War · Indo-

Pakistani wars · Green Revolution · White Revolution · Naxal Insurgency · Smiling
Republic
Buddha · Space program · The Emergency · Khalistan movement · Indian Peace
Keeping Force (IPKF) · Economic Reforms · Pokhran-II

LJM
aeui
wgdl
ii
Csct
olia
naar
stry
tuy
irI
teSn
uud
tLpi
iora
oken
nm
SeA
Far
ubCm
nhoy
dau
arI
mRtn
ead
nj•i
tya
aC n
lh
SiN
Raea
ibfv
ghy
haJ
tEuI
sxsn
etd
&ci
uca
Dten
ui
tvHA
iei
esgr
sh
PF
ArCo
deor
msuc
ire
ndt
iesI
snn
tD d
ri
aVsa
titn
icr
veiC
eco
Pta
Drs
ieCt
vso
iuG
sdru
ieta
onsr
ntPd
so
LDlI
aein
wpcd
uyi
Eta
nyFn
fo
oPrP
rea
ciir
emga
menm
ei
nMpl
tioi
nlt
Niia
ascr
ty
ie
orEC
nne
aPen
lrrt
igr
Imya
nel
vp
eMoR
sile
tnis
ice
gsyr
atv
tee
ir
oP
nCo
sal
bi
Aic
gne
e
ntF
co
yM r
ic
Cne
ei
ns(
tC
reR
arP
lsF
)
BG
uoB
rvo
er
ard
une
mr
oe
fnS
te
Ic
nAu
vgr
ei
snt
tcy
i
geF
aso
tr
ic
oe
n
(
(B
CS
BF
I)
)
I
Cn
rd
io
m-
iT
ni
ab
le
t
Ia
nn
v
eB
so
tr
id
ge
ar
t
iP
oo
nl
i
Dc
ee
p
aS
rp
te
mc
ei
na
tl

(F
Co
Ir
Dc
)e
 s
II
nn
dt
ie
al
nl
i
Pg
oe
ln
ic
ce
e
R
Se
es
re
va
ir
cc
eh

(a
In
Pd
S
)A
n
Ca
el
ny
ts
ri
as
l
W
Ii
nn
dg
u(
sR
tA
rW
i)
a
lI
n
St
ee
cl
ul
ri
ig
te
yn
c
Fe
o
rB
cu
er
e
(a
Cu
I
S(
FI
)B
)
H
oJ
mo
ei
 n
Gt
u
aI
rn
dt
e
Sl
tl
ai
tg
ee
n
Pc
oe
l
iC
co
em
m
Fi
et
dt
ee
re
a
l

P
o
l
i
c
e

Mountains · Glaciers · Volcanoes · Valleys · Rivers · Lakes · Desert · Islands ·

 Regions East India · West India · North India · South India · North East India

SubdivisionsStates and territories · Cities · Districts · Autonomous regions · Municipalities

[show]
v•d•e
Economy of India topics

[show]
v•d•e
Agriculture in Asia

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_India"

Categories: Science and technology in India | Agriculture in India
Views
• Article
• Discussion
• Edit this page
• History
Personal tools
• Log in / create account
Navigation
 • Main page
• Contents
• Featured content
• Current events
• Random article
Search

Special:Search Go Search

Interaction
• About Wikipedia
• Community portal
• Recent changes
• Contact Wikipedia
• Donate to Wikipedia
• Help
Toolbox
• What links here
• Related changes
• Upload file
• Special pages
• Printable version
• Permanent link
• Cite this page
Languages
• ‫فارسی‬
• Монгол

• This page was last modified on 22 May 2009, at 20:12 (UTC).

• All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See
Copyrights for details.)
Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S.
registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity.
• Privacy policy
• About Wikipedia
• Disclaimers