Low foodgrain production in high-yielding states: Study

BUSINESS STANDARD / New Delhi October 17, 2011, 1:09 IST

Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Karnataka have shown high-growth momentum in agricultural foodgrain production during the last five years and have the potential to contribute significantly to India’s foodgrain basket.

The share of these low-foodgrain yielding states in the total foodgrain production of India have improved from 17.4 per cent to 19 per cent during 2002-06 period over 2007-11 period.

However, the contribution of the states with high-yield foodgrain production like Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh to the national basket has declined from around 41 per cent to around 38 per cent during the same period, a study conducted by PHD Chamber Research Bureau said here today.

Jharkhand posted 40 per cent growth in the foodgrain production during the last five-year-period (2007-11) over the previous five-year period (2002-06), growing from 2.28 million tonnes (mt) (annual average) in 2002-06 to 3.20 mt (annual average) during 2007-11 period.

Similarly, Rajasthan posted a foodgrain production growth of 21.84 per cent over the same period, growing from 12.62 mt (annual average) in 2002-06 to 15.38 mt (annual average) during 2007-11.

Foodgrain productions in Karnataka and Maharashtra have also grown at impressive rates of 24.09 per cent and 22.3 per cent, respectively, the PHD Chamber study said.

The green revolution effect of high-yield agrarian states like Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh seems to be fading. The foodgrain production growth in these states has reached a saturation point, the study pointed out.

Punjab, the significant contributor to the foodgrain production of India where per hectare yield is also highest in the country (4,148 kg/hectare), has registered around eight per cent growth in the last five-year period (2007-11).

Foodgrain production in West Bengal (2,561 kg/hectare) and Uttar Pradesh (2,260 kg/hectare) have grown at modest (-)2 per cent and eight per cent, respectively, the study added. Kerala with 2,896 kg/ hectare foodgrain production has grown at a disappointing (-) 10.9 per cent.

It is a matter of concern that the states with high yield of foodgrain production like Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh have registered a declining trend in the growth of food grains.

Their contribution to the national basket has declined from around 41 per cent in 2002-06 period to around 38 per cent during 2007-11 period. In comparison to this, the share of the low-yielding states including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Karnataka have improved from 17.4 per cent to 19 per cent during the same period, according to the study.

On the contrary, states with low-foodgrain yield per hectare, which have not been exploited to the fullest, have registered high-growth potentials during the period, the study said.