CHAPTER-2 AGRICULTURE PROFILE OF PUNJAB

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1 CHAPTER2 AGRICULTURE PROFILE OF PUNJAB

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3 Punjab, the land of five rivers, has progressed leaps and bounds in the field of agriculture after Green Revolution. This speedy progress in agriculture is made possible with the use of high yielding variety of seeds, better irrigation facilities and increased use of nonconventional inputs like fertilizers, machinery and pesticides etc. The rate of progress was quite substantial in the initial years mainly due to exponential increase in agricultural productivity and expansion in gross cropped area. However, in later years, the progress in agricultural production has slowed down and signs of stagnation are quite visible. In this chapter, an effort has been made to present a detailed agriculture profile of the state of Punjab over the years AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURE OF PUNJAB Agricultural structure of the economy of Punjab can be determined from the factors like distribution of operational holdings, cropping pattern and the contribution to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The agricultural structure of Punjab state as depicted by the above stated factors has been discussed in this section as follows: Distribution of Operational Holdings Table 2.1 shows the figures related to the operational holdings in state of Punjab at two points of time viz and Over the five years, the total operational holdings in state have increased from lakh to lakh by a margin of 55 thousand. The point worth noting is that there is a marginalization of holdings in the state with proportionate increase in marginal and small farmers. As shown in the table, the proportion of marginal and small holdings was and percent respectively in the year and it increased to and percent, respectively in the year On the other hand, the share of holdings in case of semimedium, medium and large farmers has declined during this period. The average operational holding size in the state has gone down from 3.95 hectares to 3.78 hectares over the period. 13

4 Table 2.1 Operational Holding Distribution in Punjab (p) Number Area Average Number Area Category (000) (000, size of (000) (000, size hectares) holding Hectares) Marginal (below (13.36%) (2.09%) hectare (15.50%) (2.53) 1 hectare) Small ( hectare) (18.25%) (6.51%) hectare (18.53%) (6.76%) Semi medium(2 (31.80%) (21.57%) hectare (30.91%) (21.57%) 4 hectare) Medium( , , hectare) (29.51%) (42.91%) hectare (28.45%) (43.24%) Large ( , ,035 hectares (7.08%) (26.92%) hectare (6.62%) (25.90%) and above) All 1,003 3, ,058 3,996 holdings hectare Average size of holding 0.62 hectare 1.38 hectare 2.64 hectare 5.74 hectares hectares 3.78 hectares Cropping Pattern The post Green Revolution period has seen sea changes in the cropping pattern of Punjab. The changing cropping pattern in Punjab state over the period of time has been depicted in table

5 Table 2.2 Cropping Pattern in Punjab (In Percentage) Crop Wheat Rice Cotton Maize Sugarcane Potato Pulses Total Foodgrains Total oilseeds As the table shows, about 40.5 percent of the gross cropped area (GCA) was under wheat in and it increased to 44.5 percent in the year and since then revolves around percent. The other main crop, rice, occupied around 6.9 percent of the gross cropped area in and it increased to over 34.5 per cent in , and then it further rose to around percent in The increase in the area of wheat crop cultivation has been at the cost of other crops like grams, rapeseed and mustard, while the increase in the area of rice cultivation is mainly obtained by shifting the area from maize, groundnut, millets, cotton etc. The proportionate area under cotton in was 7 percent of gross cropped area and it increased marginally to 9.34 percent in After , certain adverse factors like inclement weather and pest attack have adversely affected the cotton crop and its share in GCA went 15

6 down to 5.97 percent in With introduction of new varieties of BT cotton, area under cotton started increasing and rose to 6.6 percent in Although the area under cotton crop is continuously on the decrease and it was just 6.1 percent of the gross cropped area in the year Areas under sugarcane and potato have not remained stable, whereas the area under pulses and oilseeds has recorded a sharp decline. The respective share of pulses and oilseeds in GCA has decreased from 7.29 and 5.2 percent in to 0.25 and 0.7 percent in The interpretation of the data clearly shows that the cropping pattern has tilted towards two main crops viz. rice and wheat, and this imbalance has been increasing continuously despite all efforts on diversification of the state agriculture. The farmers go for these crops because they feel that there is minimum risk in them as compared to other crops Relative Share of Different Agricultural Activities in Primary Sector It is an important indicator to know the relative share of different agricultural activities in the primary sector that is being contributed to GSDP. Tables 2.3 and 2.4 show the subsectoral distribution of GSDP of primary sector of Punjab at current prices and constant prices. Table 2.3 depicts that during at constant prices the primary sector contributed Rs crores in GSDP out of which the share of agriculture, livestock, forestry & lodging and fishing was Rs crore, Rs crore, Rs crore and Rs. 282 crore, respectively. During , the total contribution of the primary sector to GSDP was Rs crore and the respective share of the above subsectors were Rs crores, Rs crores, Rs crores and Rs 350 crore. 16

7 Table 2.3 Share of Different Primary Subsectors in Total Primary Sector Agriculture (at constant prices), Punjab (63.3%) (63.6%) 17 (Rs. Crore) Sector Agriculture and Livestock (95.3%) (95.1%) (94.9%) (94.9%) (64.1%) Livestock (32.0%) (31.5%) Forestry and Logging (3.8%) (3.9%) Fishing (0.8%) (0.9%) Agriculture & Allied (99.9%) (99.9%) Mining and Quarrying (0.1%) (0.1%) Total primary (63.7%) (31.2%) 1403 (4.0%) 339 (0.9%) (99.9%) 28 (0.1%) (30.9%) 1452 (4.1%) 350 (0.9%) (99.9%) 30 (0.1%) The table reveals that the share of agriculture and livestock in GSDP declined marginally from 95.3 percent in the year to 94.9 percent in the year at constant prices. However, the contribution of agriculture to the primary sector increased marginally from 63.3 percent to 64.1 percent and livestock decreased marginally from 32.0 percent to 30.9 percent during the same period. Over this period, the respective contribution of forestry and fishing subsectors in overall primary sector of the state went up marginally from 3.8 to 4.1 percent and 0.8 to around 1 percent. In table 2.4, the data at current prices shows the fall in the contribution of agriculture towards primary sector from 66.9 percent in to 64.2 percent in There is, however, a notable increase in forestry and logging sector the contribution of which has increased from 3.8 percent in to 8.0 percent in Otherwise, within the agriculture sector, there were only marginal changes in the respective shares of other components over this time period. Mining and quarrying

8 sector contribution towards gross state domestic product contribution has remained static over this period for the both. Table 2.4 Share of Different Primary Subsectors in Total Primary Sector (at Current Prices), Punjab: (Rs. Crore) Sector Agriculture and Livestock (95.3%) (94.3%) (92.6%) (91.2%) Agriculture (66.9%) (67.3%) (65.6%) (64.2%) Livestock (28.4%) (27.0%) (27.1%) (27.0%) Forestry and logging 1835 (3.8%) Fishing 339 (0.7%) Agriculture & allied (99.9%) Mining and 29 Quarrying (0.1%) Total primary (100) (4.9%) 379 (0.7%) (99.9%) 54 (0.1%) (100) 2.2. PERFORMANCE OF AGRICULTURE IN PUNJAB (6.5%) 484 (0.8%) (99.9%) 30 (0.1%) (100) 5547 (8.0%) 537 (0.8%) (99.9%) 33 (0.1%) (100) Punjab is known as the state of hardworking farmers who have made unparalleled efforts to bring the state on the world map. The progress made by the state in agriculture is well applauding because its farmers by dint of their hardwork have transformed the food deficit state into food surplus state. The green revolution started by the state opened the new vistas of development for the whole country. The improvement in the quality of seeds, irrigation facilities, farm technology and inputs and vibrant agricultural policies of the government led the state to get a dominating and role model position in the country. With only 1.5 percent of geographical area of the country, the state besides feeding its growing population has been contributing 3540 percent of rice and 4570 percent wheat to the central pool for the last two decades.

9 Table 2.5 Performance of Agriculture in Punjab (Area: 000, ha.; Production: 000, metric tonnes Yield: Kg/ha) Crop Area 450 1,269 2,069 2,487 2,802 2,826 Rice Production 920 3,750 6,739 8,816 11,236 10,819 Yield 2,044 2,955 3,257 3,545 4,010 3,828 Area 2,336 2,914 3,237 3,420 3,522 3,510 Wheat Production 5,618 8,544 12,309 15,499 15,169 16,472 Yield 2,405 2,932 3,803 4,532 4,307 4,693 Area Maize Production Yield 1,564 1,838 1,962 2,722 3,414 3,693 Area Cotton Production 1,030 1,275 2,505 1,305 2,006 1,822 Yield Area Sugar Production cane Yield 3,913 5,779 6,358 6,514 6,167 5,952 Area Potato Production ,147 1,918 1,609 Yield 13,430 19,419 19,981 20,054 25,919 25,141 Area Pulses Production Total food Grains Yield Area 3,915 4,999 5,638 6,152 6,498 6,504 Production 7,925 13,156 19,632 23,878 26,947 27,846 Yield 2,024 2,632 3,482 3,881 4,146 4,281 Area Production Yield ,012 1,355 1,304 Total Oilseed Milk(Lac tonnes) Production Tables 2.5 and 2.6 show the important growth indicators of agriculture in the state. Table 2.5 shows that the production of wheat in the state has gone up by about three times from 5.62 million tonnes to 16.5 million tonnes from and and the production of rice has increased by nine times from 0.9 million tonnes to 10.9 million tonnes in the same period. The production of cotton has risen from 1030 thousand bales to 1822 thousand bales in the above period. The total food 19

10 grain production over this period has grown by more than three and half times. However, there was a reverse trend in the production of pulses and oilseeds which decreased drastically over this period. The production of sugarcane remained almost the same with a little variation. It shows that the farmers in the state have gone for mainly two crop cycle of wheat and paddy and left everything else to a large extent. Yes, some vegetable crops did find some place in the priority of their agriculture production. Table 2.6 highlights the decade wise compound growth rate of major crops and milk production in the state. Table 2.6 Decade wise Compound Annual Growth Rates (CAGR) of Major Crops and Milk Production in Punjab (Percent/Annum) to to to to to Cro p A P Y A P Y A P Y A P Y A P Y Ric e ns ns Whe at * ** 0.6 0ns Mai ze ns ns 1.79 ** 1.57 ns 3.4 2* 1.7 3** 3.2 9* Cott on Sug arcane Pota to Pul ses Tota l food grai ns Tota l oilse eds Milk * ns ** 0.65 ns ns ** ns ns ns 0.9 5ns 2.7 7ns ** 9.8 1** 0.7 8ns 2.2 4ns 4.4 0ns ns ns 0.4 9ns 2.9 7ns ns * 2.29 ns * ns ns 7.8 7** 0.1 5ns 0.0 1ns 2.4 4** ns ns ns * ** * 6.0 8** 0.0 4ns 2.6 5ns 2.4 8** ns 0.1 4ns , A: Area, P: Production and Y: Yield ** 0.3 2ns ns

11 2.3 AGRICULTURAL GROWTH DRIVERS A number of growth drivers contributed significantly for the rapid strides made by the state of Punjab in agriculture. These include the facility of tractors and other mechanized equipments, the effective irrigation facilities, high yielding variety seeds, use and availability of chemical fertilizer, pesticide etc. These were further sprinkled with the favourable agricultural policies, expert consultancy and agricultural extension network which helped the farmers of the state to achieve the record productivity levels. Some of the important drivers of the state agricultural growth are highlighted in table 2.7. Indicators/Period Table 2.7 Agricultural Growth Drivers in Punjab No. of tractors (Number) 5,281 1,18,845 2,89,064 4,34,032 4,98,517 5,04,310 Number of tractors per 000 ha No. of tube wells (Lakh) Number of tube wells per 000 ha Cropping intensity (%) Consumption of chemical fertilizers (000' nutrient tone) ,220 1,313 1,866 1,911 1,936 Consumption of chemical fertilizers (kg/ha) Consumption of insecticides/pesticide s (technical grade M.T) 3,200 6,500 6,970 5,745 5,600 6,150 Gross cropped area (000 ha) 5,678 6,763 7,502 7,941 7,876 7,872 % of net irrigated area to net area sown As table 2.7 shows, the gross cropped area has increased from 5,678 thousand hectares in the year to 7872 thousand hectares in The number of tractors in the state increased from a meager 5281 in to more than 5 lakh in There was a tremendous increase in irrigation facilities and the net irrigated area increased from 71 percent in to about 98 percent in the year 21

12 The number of tubewells has also gone up from 1.92 lakh in to lakh in The proportion of area under high yielding variety seeds to gross cropped area has seen a big rise. Wheat, rice and maize are produced using high yielding variety seeds to the tune of hundred percent. It has raised the consumption of chemical fertilizers and plant protection materials tremendously. Per hectare consumption of chemical fertilizers (NPK) saw a big flight from only kg in to 246 kg in Total consumption of chemical fertilizers in the state increased from 213 thousand tons in to 1936 thousand tons in Consumption of insecticides and pesticides had also increased from 3200 MT in to 6150 MT in Overall, there had been a sharp increase in the use of technology and mechanization for agricultural operations. It is pertinent to note that the minimum support price offered by the government for a few crops and assured procurement changed the mindset of the farmers from multiple crops to two crop pattern. They started taking wheat and paddy the most secure and profitable venture. Moreover, the efforts to be put in by them in these crops are also felt easy by them in comparison to other crops. No doubt the environment in the state has been taken as congenial for agriculture by the farmers in Punjab but it has also made them lethargic. It created the barriers for more innovations and they simply stuck to wheat and paddy and that too with more dependence on the migrant labour. The agricultural production in terms of output had an increase but the quality and diversification suffered which ultimately led to failures of the farming community at many places in the state. Thus, the growth drivers played a significant role in the overall improvement in the agriculture but it was primarily restricted to a few crops which was not considered a good sign for the overall development of the state. 22

13 2.4. MARKETING AND WAREHOUSE FACILITIES Marketing and warehousing play an important role in ensuring better returns to the farmers. They are like a catalyst for the agricultural development of the state. The market charges in Punjab have been regularized under Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961 and transactions are conducted by open auction in the regulated markets. The market committees are represented by the representatives of farmers, traders, labourers and officials of agriculture and cooperative departments. The standardization of weights and measures used in the markets is done as per the Weights and Measurement Act. Punjab Mandi Board, the coordinating body for market committees, has been playing a leading role in developing the village approach roads and market yards on priority basis to facilitate the efficient marketing of farm produce and agricultural input delivery system in the state. No. of Regulated Markets No. of sub yards attached Average no. of villages served per regulated market Average area served per regulated market (Sq. km.) No. of focal points Marketed surplus of foodgrains and nonfoodgrains handled (Lakh tones Percent of villages linked with mettled roads State owned storage capacity (Lakh tones) Storage capacity as % to procurement of paddy and wheat) Table 2.8 Marketing and Warehouse Facilities in Punjab NA NA NA NA NA

14 As table 2.8 shows, there is a tremendous increase in the marketing infrastructure in the state of Punjab. The number of regulated market has increased from 88 to 146 and the number of subyards attached with these regulated market has increased from 154 to 294 in the year to On the other hand, the average number of villages served per regulated market and the average area served per regulated market in Punjab has decreased from 139 villages to 84 villages and from 573 to 345 sq. km respectively during the same period. The state government has tried to provide all weather metalled roads to all the villages so that the farmers could sell their output throughout the year. Almost all the villages have been provided with good quality roads and effective linkage has been done with the sources of marketing which help in efficient marketing of farm output in the state. The deficiency in the state owned storage capacity was considered as one of the important hurdles in the procurement process of the food grain produce of the farmers. The state government has taken many steps in this regard and as a result the total state owned storage capacity has increased from lakh tons in to lakh tons in The data given in table 2.9 shows the agency wise state owned capacity in Punjab. It shows that the major share of state owned storage capacity is that of Food Corporation of India. It is providing almost 37% of the total state owned storage capacity. Other agencies like Markfed, State Warehousing Corporation, Central Warehousing Corporation, Punjab State Civil Supply Corporation, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation etc. are also playing an important role in this regard 24

15 Table 2.9 State Owned Storage Capacity in Punjab: (lakh tones) Agency/Year Food Corporation of India (36.04%) (31.05%) (30.35%) (36.77%) Food Supply Department (3.91%) (5.79%) (7.44%) (8.12%) Markfed (10.85%) (14.82%) (16.52%) (19.59%) State Warehousing Corporation (29.17%) (25.92%) (7.77%) (7.32%) Central Warehousing Corporation 7.00 (3.97%) 7.09 (3.48%) 2.28 (0.91%) 1.29 (0.57%) (14.30%) Punjab State Civil Supply Corporation (10.48%) Marketing Board 0.54 (0.31%) Punjab Agro Industries 9.31 Corporation (5.28%) Total State Owned Storage Capacity (11.31%) 0.33 (0.16%) (7.47%) EMERGING DEMANDSUPPLY MECHANICS (12.57%) 0.12 (0.05%) (7.76%) (0.11%) (13.22) The country is dependent to a large extent on the availability of adequate local supplies particularly from the Punjab state to meet the increasing demand of foodgrains. In order to maintain the momentum of production of food grains, the government of India provides variety of production incentives to the farmers. The farmers in Punjab has done wonderfully well in the production of paddy and wheat because of these incentives. It resulted in that the farmers in Punjab have responded to the country s demand for wheat and paddy and now nearly 80 percent of the gross cropped area in the state is under wheat and rice crops. 25

16 Table 2.10 Market Arrival of Major Crops in Punjab (000, tonnes) Crops Wheat 7,911 10,584 10,994 10,278 Paddy 12,802 13,234 14,237 13,136 Table 2.10 reveals the quantum of market arrivals of paddy and wheat crops in the state over the period starting from the year onward. During the years , market arrival of paddy and wheat crops were at and lakh tones, respectively. As the data indicates, market arrival of paddy crop has increased remarkably. Due to decentralization of procurement, although the share of the state in central pool of foodgrains has been declining for the last few years; still Punjab is the largest contributor. Table 2.11 Contribution of Punjab Towards the Central Pool of Food Grains (Lakh Tonnes) Crops Rice (27.8%) 85.5 (25.1%) (28.9%) (25.3%) Wheat (60.9%) 99.4 (43.8%) (42.2%) (45.4%) Table 2.11 shows that although the quantitative contribution of wheat and rice crops of Punjab state towards the central pool is increasing yet the percentage contribution of the state towards this pool has been decreasing in the recent years. During , the state contributed about 25 per cent of rice and 45 per cent of wheat towards the central pool (Table 2.11). There has been, however, a steep fall in the case of rice crop contribution which has fell from 60.9 percent in to 45.4 percent in the year Looking at agencywise procurement, it can be seen from Table 2.12 that since , the role of government agencies in procurement has increased in a major way which pushed the private traders out of paddy and wheat trade in the state. 26

17 Table 2.12 Procurement of Paddy and Wheat by Different Agencies in Punjab (000, tones) Agency Paddy State government 2,674 (20.89%) 3,627 (27.41%) 4,155 (29.18%) 4,073 (31.01%) FCI 132 (1.03%) 205 (1.55%) 671 (4.71%) 517 (3.94%) Markfed 2426 (18.95%) 2775 (20.97%) 2864 (20.12%) 2707 (20.61%) PUNSUP 2611 (20.40%) 2714 (20.51%) 3171 (22.27%) 3021 (23.00%) PSWC 1356 (10.59%) 1502 (11.35%) 1687 (1.85%) 1488 (11.33%) Traders 2470 (19.29%) 1133 (8.56%) 371 (2.61%) 209 (1.59%) Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) 1133 (8.85%) 127 (89.66%) 1318 (9.26%) 1121 (8.53%) Total Wheat State government 1279 (16.17%) 1847 (17.45%) 1682 (15.30%) 1707 (16.61%) FCI 726 (9.18%) 1074 (10.15%) 1716 (15.61%) 1654 (16.09%) Markfed 1886 (23.84%) 2481 (23.44%) 2557 (23.26%) 2382 (23.18%) PUNSUP 1781 (22.51%) 2369 (22.38%) 2392 (21.76%) 2301 (22.39%) PSWC 771 (9.75%) 1279 (12.08%) 1403 (12.76%) 1122 (10.92%) Traders 704 (8.90%) 334 (3.16%) 22 (0.20%) 61 (0.59%) Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) 764 (9.66%) 1200 (11.34%) 1222 (11.12%) 1051 (10.23%) Total The above table shows that and per cent of the total market arrivals of paddy and wheat respectively were procured by the government agencies in the year As the government is playing a 27

18 major role in procuring rice and wheat crops in the state, private traders are reluctant to enter the market for the same. The demand for the third main crop of the state, i.e., cotton, comes mainly from private mills and traders. However, in odd years significant quantities were purchased by state owned Cotton Corporation of India also Contract Farming Many companies have entered the Punjab market to buy the farm output under the contract farming scheme. These companies enter into a contract with farmers to purchase the specific quantity of specific quality produce at a pre decided price. Table 2.13 shows the main crops grown under this scheme as under: Table 2.13 Area under Different Crops under Contract Farming Scheme in Punjab (in Hectares) Year Hyola Malting Barley Basmati Rice Maize Green Pea Potato Seed ,273 3,020 33,614 45, ,216 2,488 33,606 32, ,254 3,277 31,966 33, , ,051 28, , NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Population of India is increasing at a rapid speed. Demand for agricultural products is also increasing. The government of Punjab is laying emphasis on the production of foodgrains without giving any importance to its natural resources. The net sown area in the state has continuously risen up. Punjab state has recorded tremendous growth in agricultural sector. Above 97 percent of the cultivated area is under assured irrigation. Mono culture of production of wheat and paddy is imposing pressure on its natural resources like water and soil. There should be proper management of natural resources so that these can be 28

19 taken care of properly. The natural resources management can be discussed as under: Land Use The Punjab state is surrounded by Pakistan on the west, J&K on the north, Himachal Pradesh on the north east and Haryana and Rajasthan on the south. The land use classification of the state for years to is presented in table 2.14 as under: Table 2.14 Land Use Pattern in Punjab (000, hectares) Area/Period Geographical area 5,036 5,036 5,036 5,036 Forests Barren and uncultivable land Net area sown 4,187 4,171 4,158 4,158 Net area sown as percentage to total area Area sown more than once 3,683 3,741 3,718 3,724 Gross cropped area 7,870 7,912 7,876 7,882 The table shows that the net sown area was at lakh hectares in and it declined to lakh hectares in the year The reason for this decline is the continuous urbanization. However, during this period the increase in cropping intensity from percent to 190 percent led to increase in gross cropped area in the state from lakh hectares to lakh hectares. The forest wealth of the state is in a miserable plight. The area under permanent barren and uncultivable land has been almost found to be stable at 0.47 percent of the state area for the last many years Soil Management The nature of the soil of Punjab is alluvial and deep, varying from sandy to salty clay. It contains pollution from agro chemicals, sewerage and industrial waste. Low biological oxidation and slow rate of 29

20 decomposition of crop residues are the major problems being faced by the state of Punjab. The problem of water logging is particularly acute in southwestern districts (Ferozepur, Fazilika, Muktsar and Faridkot) of the state occupying lower topographic positions. Introduction of salt resistant crops and good drainage system may overcome this problem to some extent. The mass production of paddy and wheat has exhausted the vital nutrients of the land of the state. Nitrogen and phosphorus are also found low to medium in most of the state soils. The soils in general are medium to high in available potassium. Micronutrient deficiencies in large areas have also been noticed adversely affecting the crop yield. The soils contain sufficient calcium and magnesium. It is being felt seriously that there should be crop diversification in the state otherwise the land is bound to get unproductive because of the paddy and wheat cycle which is eating into the very vitals of the state land. Thus, it is more important to preserve existing cultivated areas in the state from degradation due to water logging, soil salinity and sodicity, besides soil erosion due to intensive cropping and its attended manifestations Cropping Intensity Cropping intensity signifies the extent of multiple cropping. The cropping intensity has been growing continuously in the state of Punjab and it has become a common feature now to get two crops from the same field. Table 2.15 highlights the level of cropping intensity from the year to It signifies that the cropping intensity has increased marginally in state from 188 percent in to 190 percent in However, this high intensity of cropping is a clear indicator that that in Punjab state the vertical expansion of area in future has become increasingly limited. 30

21 Table 2.15 Cropping Intensity in Punjab Year Percentage Water Management Punjab has the best irrigation facilities and about 98 percent of the net sown area is irrigated. The sources of irrigation include canal irrigation, tubewell irrigation, and other sources. Table 2.16 shows the irrigated area in Punjab over the years. No doubt, the ground water level is going down, yet the surface and groundwater irrigation infrastructure is quite good in the state. Surface irrigation distribution network comprises 1,45,000 kilometers of canals, including branch canals and minor distributaries, and one lakh kilometers of field channels or water courses. The canal irrigation system irrigated 1,116 thousand hectare in accounting for the per cent of the net irrigated area in the state. Year Table 2.16 Sourcewise Net Area Irrigated in Punjab (000, ha) Govt. Private Tube Other Total %age of net canals canals well & sources irrigated area to wells net area sown ,142 2, , % , , , % , , , % , ,954 4, % 31

22 While canal irrigation has been declining over the years, tubewell irrigation, particularly in the central and northern region of Punjab has been on the increase and during , there were about tubewells providing irrigation to about 2954 thousand hectares of land accounting for nearly 73 percent of the net irrigated area in state Rainfall The land use pattern and crop production also depends on the level of rainfall to a great extent. Table 2.17 shows the level of average rainfall in the state as under: Table 2.17 Average Annual Rainfall in Punjab Year Rainfall ( In Millimeters) The table shows that the average annual rainfall over the years has been varying. 2.7 FARM INPUT MANAGEMENT The tremendous increase in agriculture of Punjab is due to the use of inputs like fertilizers, improved seeds, irrigation, plant protection chemicals; machinery, credit and technology back up. Punjab became the leading state because of the timely availability and efficient delivery system of these vital inputs required for agriculture. Consequently, the state got the status of the food basket of the country. The trends in use/requirement of important farm inputs in Punjab are discussed as under: 32

23 2.7.1 Seeds High yielding varieties of seeds has played the most important role in increasing agricultural production in Punjab. The supply of these seeds is ensured by Punjab Agricultural University, Various Seed Corporations, and State Department of Agriculture. Many farmers keep their own seeds, particularly of cereals in which the seed rate is exorbitant. The farmers are continuously made aware about the new varities of seeds through agricultural extension and various agricultural fairs and festivals by Punjab Agriculture University and other state agencies Fertilizers and Manures The use of fertilizers and manures transformed the agriculture production to a great extent. The use of these fertilizers and manures started with the advent of the Green Revolution in the state. Table 2.18 shows the fertilizer consumption in the state as under: Year Table 2.18 Consumption of Fertilizers in Punjab (000, nutrient tones) Nitrogenous Phospetic Potassic Total Consumption (N) (P) (K) (NPK) per hectare (kg) , , , , , , , , , (p) Source: Agriculture at a glance, Department of agriculture, Government of Punjab, Chandigarh Table 2.18 highlights that the total consumption of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potash (K) nutrients in the state during the year was lakh tons which increased by about 7 per cent to lakh 33

24 tons in the year whereas the consumption per hectare of NPK rose from 213 kg to 246 kg in the same period. However, the ratio of NPK is highly uneven in the state Pesticides The use of pesticides and insecticides played an important role in agricultural production. The greater reliance on pesticides has been shown by the crops like cotton, sugarcane, paddy, oilseeds and vegetables. Cropping intensity and fertilizer use also increased the problem of weeds. The consumption of pesticides and insecticides is shown in the table 2.19 as under: Table 2.19 Consumption of Pesticides in Punjab (In Metric Tons) Year Consumption , , , , (p) 6,150 Source: Agriculture at a Glance, Department of Agriculture, Government of Punjab, Chandigarh. The table shows that there has been a continuous rise in the consumption of pesticides in the state of Punjab Farm Machinery and Equipments Mechanization of agriculture has played a significant role in the growth of agriculture and the state of Punjab has reaped great dividends from the mechanization of agriculture. Table 2.20 gives a detailed analysis of the farm machinery and equipments used by the farmers for their agricultural operations. 34

25 Table 2.20 Agricultural Machinery and Implements in Punjab (In Numbers) Machinery Tractors 4,20,000 4,25,200 4,25,200 4,34,000 Disk Harrow 2,20,000 2,24,000 2,24,300 2,10,000 Seed cum fertilizer drills 1,78,000 1,83,000 1,83,400 1,66,489 Spray pumps 6,55,000 6,65,000 6,55,000 6,00,000 Vertical conveyer reapers 5,518 5,522 NA NA Tractor operated 6,570 6,670 6,270 6,056 combines Selfpropelled combines 7,600 8,400 8,400 8,130 Threshers 9,10,400 8,22,000 8,02,000 7,40,000 Straw reapers 21,848 32,666 32,900 33,678 Maize shellers/threshers 1,890 1,893 1,850 1,832 Potato planters 5,160 5,330 5,250 5,228 Tubewell electric/ diesel run 12,46,000 12,76,200 13,75,517 13,81,606 Sugarcane cutter planter NA Strip till drills NA NA Zero till drills 9,083 10,141 10,300 10,465 Rotavators 3,309 6,419 6,720 8,691 Aeroblast Sprayers NA Source: Agriculture at a Glance, Department of Agriculture, Punjab, Chandigarh No doubt, the state is progressing at a very fast pace in terms of mechanization of agriculture. But at the same time, it is felt that there is over mechanization in the state. Particularly, the number of tractors in the state is much more than the requirements. This over capitalization in farm mechanization and its underutilization leads to higher cost of production and lower net income to farmers, making it economically unviable. 35

26 2.7.5 Irrigation Water is the elixir of life and agriculture too. The state has an effective network of irrigation facilities and about 98 percent of the net sown area in the state is irrigated. The following table highlights the irrigation facilities of the state: Table 2.21 Gross Cropped and Irrigated Area in Punjab (000, ha) Year Gross cropped Gross Irrigated %age of gross area area irrigated area to gross cropped area % % % % The state has an excellent irrigation distribution network of canals, branch canals, minor distributaries and field channels. Over the time, canal irrigation has been declining whereas tubewell irrigation has been on the increase and about 73 percent of the total irrigated area is being irrigated by underground water pumped out by about lakh tubewells. This is mainly due to the availability of cheap credit and free supply of electricity in the state. However, this has led to the decline the level of the underground water which is at present a serious concern for the state Labour and Agricultural Wages It is estimated that 75 percent of the population in Punjab is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. With green revolution, there was felt an increase in the agricultural labour but after eighties and particularly after nineties, the reverse trend started because of heavy 36

27 mechanization of agriculture and demand for labour weakened. It has created an imbalance in the rural economy and the farmers in the state hesitate to shift to other areas of employment. 2.8 ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRYING AND FISHERIES Animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries are considered important subsidiaries to the agriculture. But in the state it has not received the attention which it should have received. After the tremendous success in food grain production, the government at the national and state level started many initiatives for milk revolution. It has been felt that these subsidiary sources of income along with agriculture can add a lot to the existing revenue of farmers. Livestock is one of the most important components of the primary sector of the economy; contributing about 8.36 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and about 27 percent share in agriculture. The data on livestock population in Punjab is presented in table Table 2.22 Number of Livestock in Punjab, (000 head) Particulars Change (%age 1997 to 2007) Cows 2,639 (26.77%) Buffaloes 6,170.7 (62.60%) Sheep 436 (4.42%) Goat (4.20%) Pigs 93.7 (0.95%) Total Livestock 9, ,038 (23.68%) 5, (69.64%) (2.56%) (3.23%) (0.34%) 8, ,760.9 (23.91%) 5, (68.37%) (2.86%) (3.89%) (0.34%) 7, % 18.39% 51.70% 30.84% 73.33% 25.28% The figures reveal that people of the state are losing interest in livestock enterprise as livestock population in Punjab has been decreasing

28 continuously since It declined tremendously by about 25 percent from about lakh in 1997 to only lakh during The number has decreased for all the livestock animals. Due to consumers preference towards buffalo milk, the reason being its high fat content, Punjab is dominated by buffalo population. While at the national level the cows outnumber the buffaloes, in Punjab buffaloes outnumber the cows. Share of buffaloes in the total livestock population of the state was found out to be about 68 per cent during The buffalo population showed decline in number from lakh in 1997 to lakh in The respective share of sheep and goat in the total livestock population over this period went down from 4.42 and 4.20 percent during 1997 to 2.86 and 3.89 percent. Similarly, the data regarding fisheries in the state is presented in table 2.23 Table 2.23 Fisheries Statistics in Punjab Year Area where No. of Fish seeds and Fish fish Fingerlings nurseries Production stocked (000 ) production (in (tones) (Hectare) thousands) ,941 1,42,281 46,562 78, ,058 1,39,481 52,794 1,04, ,247 1,53,179 34,129 1,22, ,857 1,64,474 53,217 NA and Agricultural Statistics at a Glance The area where fish is stocked has been increased from 9941 ha in the year to ha in the year During this period, production of fish seed and nurseries increased from lakh to lakh. Fish production in the state increased remarkably from thousand tons in to thousand tons in

29 2.9 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF AGRICULTURE SECTOR OF THE STATE OF PUNJAB From the above discussion, the main characteristics of agriculture sector in Punjab can be summarized as below: 1. The total geographical area of the state is lakh hectares. During , the net sown area was at lakh hectares which indicated that about 83 per cent of the area in the state is already under cultivation. This is the highest in the country and the state is virtually comparable to a farmstead where most of the area is under cultivation leaving little land for other activities. 2. The total operational holdings in state have increased from lakh to lakh by a margin of 55 thousand. The average operational holding size in the state has gone down from 3.95 hectares to 3.78 hectares over the period. 3. The cropping pattern has tilted towards two main crops viz. rice and wheat, and this imbalance has been increasing continuously despite all efforts on diversification of the state agriculture. The farmers go for these crops because they feel that there is minimum risk in them as compared to other crops. 4. The share of agriculture and livestock in GSDP declined marginally from 95.3 percent in the year to 94.9 percent in the year at constant prices. The data at current prices shows the fall in the contribution of agriculture towards primary sector from 66.9 percent in to 64.2 percent in The production of wheat in the state has gone up by about three times from 5.62 million tonnes to 16.5 million tonnes from and and the production of rice has increased by nine times from 0.9 million tonnes to 10.9 million tonnes in the same period. The production of cotton has risen from 1030 thousand bales to 1822 thousand bales in the above period. The total food grain production over this period has grown by more than three and half times. 6. The gross cropped area has increased from 5,678 thousand hectares in the year to 7872 thousand hectares in The number of tractors in the state increased from a meager 5281 in to more than 5 lakh in There was a tremendous 39

30 increase in irrigation facilities and the net irrigated area increased from 71 percent in to about 98 percent in the year The number of tubewells has also gone up from 1.92 lakh in to lakh in The proportion of area under high yielding variety seeds to gross cropped area has seen a big rise. 7. There is a tremendous increase in the marketing infrastructure in the state of Punjab. The number of regulated market has increased from 88 to 146 and the number of subyards attached with these regulated market has increased from 154 to 294 in the year to The cropping intensity has increased marginally in state from 188 percent in to 190 percent in However, this high intensity of cropping is a clear indicator that that in Punjab state the vertical expansion of area in future has become increasingly limited. 9. The net sown area was at lakh hectares in and it declined to lakh hectares in the year The reason for this decline is the continuous urbanization. However, during this period the increase in cropping intensity from percent to 190 percent led to increase in gross cropped area in the state from lakh hectares to lakh hectares. 10. The people of the state are losing interest in livestock enterprise as livestock population in Punjab has been decreasing continuously since It declined tremendously by about 25 percent from about lakh in 1997 to only lakh during REFERENCES: 1. Government of India, Agricultural Statistics at a Glance, Various Issues. Ministry of Agriculture, New Delhi. 2. Government of Punjab, Statistical Abstract, Various Issues. Economic Advisor to Government, Punjab, Chandigarh. 3. Government of Punjab, Agriculture at a Glance, Various Issues. Department of Agriculture, Chandigarh. 40