DIVERSIFICATION IN
AGRICULUTRE – SCOPE AND
STRATEGIES
Dr. N.B. Singh
Agriculture Commissioner
Ministry of Agriculture
New Delhi
Achievements
Spectacular growth in agriculture
during in last 50 years : Impact of
Green Revolution
Foodgrain production rose from 50.8 to
212.06 million tonnes
Close to one fourth of GDP
contributed by Agriculture
Largest producer of tea, milk and
second largest producer of rice, wheat,
vegetables, sugarcane, tobacco
Targets and Achievements of Production of
Major Crops during 2002-2003 and 2003-04
Crop 2002-2003 2003-04
Targets Achievements Targets Achievements
(Million Tonnes) (Million Tonnes)
Rice 93.00 72.66 93.00 87.00
Wheat 78.00 65.10 78.00 72.06
Coarse Cereals 33.00 25.29 34.00 37.76
Pulses 16.00 11.14 15.00 15.23
Food grains 220.00 174.19 220.00 212.05
Oilseeds 27.00 15.06 24.70 25.14
Sugarcane 320.00 281.58 320.00 236.18
Cotton # 15.00 8.72 15.00 13.79
Jute & Mesta @ 12.00 11.38 12.00 11.20
# Million Bales of 170 kg. each.
@ Million Bales of 180 kg. each.
* Advanced Estimates as an 05.08.2004
Present Scenario
Regional Imbalances in production &
productivity
Soil degradation, salinity, alkalinity
Depleted water table in Greenbelt,
untapped rain water resources in dry
lands
Rising cost of inputs / high cost
production
Reduction in factor productivity
Open access to international market
AVENUES TO ENHANCE FARMERS
INCOME
* Demand Driven Production of Crops
* Add new enterprises at the farm i.e Rice +
Fish Cultivation, Apiculture
* Enhance the efficiency of resource use,
land, water, fertilizer
* Adopt improved technology
* Post Harvest Value Addition
NEED FOR DIVERSIFICATION
• Household food / nutritional security
• Risk coverage : Mono cropping high risk
• Rural employment opportunities
• Sustainability of Production Systems
Diversified Agriculture
* Adoption of farming system, involving
shift in cropping pattern towards
crops more in demand like oilseeds,
pulses, horticulture, floriculture, medicinal
and aromatic plants etc.
* Synergy through land-based enterprises
like livestock and fishery, poultry, etc.
* Capturing the new market opportunities
through enterprise including post harvest /
value addition
REQUIRED STEPS FOR DIVERSIFICATION
Crop Diversification
* Delineate area : Scientific data base
* Prioritise and target the area
* Choice of alternative crops and
technology
* Priority Input / credit supply for
alternative crops
* Share the risk of new system
* Market support - Rural uplinking
“End to End Approach”
Approaches for Diversification
* Area Specific Programme
* Contract Farming : Public – Private
Linkages
* Incentive for Diversification
* Policy Initiatives
Constraints in Adoption of Contract
Farming
* Comparative Return
* Informal Agreement
* Risk factors
* Credit availability
* Inadequate Technological intervention
* Marketing of Produce
* Small farm holding / lease deeds
State Intervention ??
Land Leasing System in vogue
- Legal ban in some States
- No legal ban but high cost of leasing
- No restriction in some States
- Tribal areas - requiring special Govt.
interventions
Need for Policy Support
Possible Addition of area to
different crops
Area - m ha
Prod. - m t
Present area Additional area through Expected
(2001-02) diversification Additional
Crop Production
Pulses 23.12 2.5 1.57
Oilseeds 23.32 3.00 2.50
Maize 6.87 0.5 1.00
Horticulture 15.70 2.5* -
Other (Fodder - 1.5 -
etc)
CROP OPTIONS FOR DIVERSIFICATION
States Traditional Crops to be Promoted
crops grown
Punjab Rice, Wheat Pulses, Oilseeds fruits /
vegetables
Haryana Rice, Wheat Arhar, Gram. Moong, Maize,
Cotton, Fruits & vegetables
Uttar Paddy, Wheat Basmati & Scented Paddy, Rabi
Pradesh Maize, Pulses, Mustard
Soyabean and vegetable crops
Rajasthan Bajra, Pulses Bajra, Pulses, Oilseeds, Green
Cotton Fodder crops, Spices and
Horticulture crops.
Gujarat Upland Paddy, Maize, Sesamum, Date palm,
Coarse cereals. Medicinal plants, Spices and
Fodder
CROP OPTIONS FOR DIVERSIFICATION
States Traditional crops Need / Promotion
grown
Tamil Nadu Rice, Groundnut, Pulses, Oilseeds
Millets Onion, Sugarcane.
Karnataka Groundnut, Cotton, Groundnut, Cotton,
Millets, Castor, Millets, Castor,
Soybean. Soybean.
Andhra Cotton, Paddy, Castor, Redgram,
Pradesh Groundnut, Jowar, Soybean, Maize,
Rabi Paddy. Sunflower Sesamum,
Pulses and
Vegetables,
Coriander,
Horticultural crops.
Maharashtra Jowar, Groundnut Pulses, oilseeds
Cotton mungbean vegetable, [Link]
Pieeon pea
Key determining factors: Farmers
Angle
* Profit margin of new system
* Availability of market for produce
* Ease of operation / cultivation / storage
* Risk factor / technology available
* Other compelling reasons to shift for a
new system
* Incentive, if any.
THRUST AREAS FOR ENHANCING
PRODUCTIVITY : KHARIF 2005
* Promote hybrids in maize, rice, sorghum, pearl
millets, cotton, castor and other crops
* Enhance area coverage in oilseeds and pulses
* Target high seed replacement in soybean, groundnut
* Promote ridge planting of pigeon pea
* Balanced use of soil nutrients by adding sulphur, zink
and iron in deficient soils
* Promote lime use in acidic soils
* Promote integrated crop management through IPM,
INM
* Timely input supply and monitoring
* Intercropping of Pigeonpea with Groundnut and Soybean
THANK
YOU
