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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Farmer agitations point to a deeper problem in our agricultural system -Prakash Bakshi

Farmer agitations point to a deeper problem in our agricultural system -Prakash Bakshi

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published Published on Jun 14, 2017   modified Modified on Jun 14, 2017
-The Economic Times blog

With loan waivers granted on Sunday to farmers in Maharashtra, and to farmers in Uttar Pradesh in April, Madhya Pradesh’s agriculturalists continue to demand waivers and the revision of the minimum support price even after protesting farmers in Mandsaur were shot dead by the police. While such turmoil appears to have immediate causes, their sources are rooted in problems that lie deeper.

Today’s level of food grain production is around 260 million tonnes, more than double than that 45 years ago. This may create the impression that agriculture in India has become quite profitable. A closer look points to a worrying landscape. A critical threat to this production level — and agricultural income — comes from continued fragmentation of agricultural holdings. In 1970-71, there were 70 million holdings or farms operating across 160 million hectares of land. 49 million of these farms were small and marginal farms (SFMF), operating on land up to 2 hectares. They comprised 70% of total farms, but only 20% of the aggregate operated area was cultivated.

By 2010-11, the number of farms had almost doubled to 138 million. The number of SFMF had, however, swelled to 117 million — 85% of operating farms. Now, cultivated land was 44% of the operated area. We are now adding almost 10 million SFMFs to the agricultural system every five years. Projecting this trend, we will have 186 million farms by 2040. The average farm will then be smaller than even a hectare.

Farming Out


Among these 186 million farms, SFMFs will increase from 117 million in 2011to 166 million, comprising 89% of total farms. They will cultivate almost 60% of the aggregate operated area, as compared to 44% in 2011and 20% in 1971. SFMFs will have an average holding size of just 0.6 hectare or 1.5 acres. 70%, or 131 million, would be marginal farms operating an average of just 0.4 hectare or an acre of land.

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The Economic Times, 12 June, 2017, http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-commentary/farmer-agitations-point-to-a-deeper-problem-in-our-agricultural-system/


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