- Key highlights
- Positives of Agriculture:
- Domestic production sufficiently meets the demand for most food commodities, except edible oils and pulses.
- Agricultural exports have been rising steadily, and the export basket is also changing.
- India, with a share of 40% in global rice (Semi-milled) exports, is the largest exporter.
- Major Challenges:
- Land and water resources will further shrink in future on account of their competing demand for domestic, energy and industrial uses.
- Food production system will also come under a confluence of several biotic and abiotic pressures, including climate change and infestation of insect pests and diseases, etc.
- Deceleration in the growth of oilseeds production on account of the stagnation in their area.
- India imports about 60% of its edible oil demand.
- Positives of Agriculture:
- Recommendations
- Land use planning i.e evolving economically feasible cropping patterns suited to the resource endowments of different agro-ecological zones.
- Limit open-ended procurement of rice and wheat as it acts as a disincentive for diversification.
- Compensate farmers for additional surplus through a price deficiency scheme.
- Promote millet consumption and production.
- Other recommendations: Enhance pulses production,Establish seed hub, promote climate-resilient technologies and practices, etc.
Government initiatives for crop diversifications
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