Rabindra Mishra
(Lecturer in Economics, Sohela Degree College, Sohela, Bargarh, Odisha, India, Email Id: mishra.rabindrakumar@gmail.com)
Introduction
The agricultural productivity in India epitomizes solicitous way out to the problem of food crisis. In recent years it has been observed that the production and productivity of rice is growing and accomplishing self reliance, household food security as well as serving as a means to tone down the age old problem relating to hunger and poverty in under developed Asian countries including India.. But regardless of the remarkable performance of agricultural sector, the disparity in the food grain production among the states and districts during post-green revolution period is seen. It is only due to the disparity in the rate of productivity i.e. rate of yield.
Agricultural development has been a primary goal of India’s effort to ensure food security and reduce poverty (Joshi and Kumar, 2014).Among other factors, the production of food grains depends upon rain fall and its temporal and spatial distribution. Food grains production in Odisha has shown a secular increasing trend since 2002-03 with some year to year variations. In 2012-13, the production of food grains was 10,210 thousand metric tons (TMT) showing an increase of 61.6% over 2011-12.This is due to bumper production of rice and pulses. Rice production of the state has increased by 63.5% over the production of 5807 thousand metric tons (TMT) during 2011-12(Odisha economic survey, 2012-13).The average yield rates of rice has increased from 14.50 quintals per hectare in 2011-12 to 23.61 quintals per hectare in 2012-13(Odisha economic survey).In India food grain production is 218.1 million tonnes as indicated by the agricultural statistics of 2010 of ministry of agriculture. However, the production of rice is 89 million tonnes which is 21.6 percent of global rice production. Thus, in order to increase the production of rice per hectare and solve the problem relating to the disparity in productivity, there is an imperative requirement to support the farmers technologically as well as financially.
Literature Review
In the process of agricultural development disparity in agricultural productivity has bothered economists for a long period of time. Because agriculture in general and food grains in particular occupy an important place in Indian economy. For proper food planning, it becomes significant to make reliable demand and supply projections which form a long and short term policies and strategies for meeting the future food grains needs of the people of the nation (Pandey and Sarup, 1996). In order to raise productivity of agriculture, there should be an improvement of institutional agricultural credit (Parida,1998). That means the formal agricultural credit is very much essential for improving agricultural productivity and welfare of the farmers (Chaudhuri,2001).Besides, the increase in the production as the major challenge lies ahead to achieve the future increase in production essentially through increase in productivity, as area under agriculture is likely to reduce with increasing urbanization (Verma,2006). Accordingly, in a predominantly rural and agricultural country like India, agricultural progress will be the most effective social safety against hunger and poverty (Hazra,2009).
Food security remains a global challenge today and famine still threatens several parts of the globe. So, it is necessary to develop agricultural technologies to increase yields and eliminate crop failures and famines (Mahanty, 2010).Mere distribution of land to the poor people was not enough to increase productivity, the transformation of backward agricultural system is very much dependent on the availability of inputs.(Tiwari,2011).In the development process of a country, agriculture serves as a provider of initial surpluses for other sectors of the economy and wage goods to the industrial sector. Accordingly it acts as the promoter of growth through forward and backward linkages (Sekhar, 2014).Moreover, agricultural production depends on land, labour and capital availability. Latter factors are only effective, if land is suitable for cultivation. To overcome this problem there is an vital need of land and water management (Panwar, 2015).
All the earlier studies have highlighted the significance of food grain production in agricultural sector for the development of Indian economy. But, distinctively the study on the disparity in yield rate of rice (yield in Ka/ha) in the nation is found to be lacking. So, in this paper an endeavor has been made to study and discuss the disparity in yield rate of rice (yield in Ka/ha).
Analysis
The productivity (yield) of rice depends on the inputs. Inputs determine the quality and quantity of outputs in an agricultural farm. As there is difference in the use of inputs like quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, implements, technology, availability of finance and technical guidance, so there is disparity in the yield rate. The farmers of the study districts of different climatic zones of western Odisha use quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, implements, technology to increase production and productivity of rice.
It is observed that there is disparity in the rate of yield in rice (Kg/Ha) between the districts as well as the climatic zones. In North-Western Platue the yield rate of rice in 2008-09 is more in Sundargarh district in comparison to Deogarh district. The same scenario is observed again in 2011-12.However,in 2009-10,2010-11 and 2012-13 the yield rate of rice is more in Deogarh district than the Sundargarh district. In Western Undulating Zone the yield rate of rice in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2012-13 is more in Kalahandi district in comparison to Nuapara district. But, in 2008-09 and 2011-12 and 2012-13 the yield rate of rice is more in Nuapara district than the Kalahandi district.However, the yield rate of rice, except year 2008-09 in Western Central Table Land in 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 is more in Subarnapur district in comparison to Baragarh district.
Similarly, the disparity in productivity, specifically the yield rate can better be appraised from the growth rate as well as the percentage growth rate of yield rate (kg/ha) in the period of study. In North western platue the growth of yield rate of rice in Deogarh districts is more than the Sundargarh district. Similarly in Western undulating zone the growth of yield rate of rice is more in Kalahandi district in comparision to Nuapara district. Like the North western platue and Western undulating zone, in Western central table land the growth of yield rate is more in Subarnapur district as compared to Bargarh district. However, the percentage of the growth of yield rate of rice is different from district to district. In North-Western Platue the percentage of growth of yield rate of rice (Kg/Ha) is more in Deogarh district in comparision to Sundargarh district. Similarly, in Western Undulating Zone, the percentage of growth of yield rate of rice (Kg/Ha) is more in Kalahandi district in comparision to Nuapara district. In the same way, in Western Central Table Land, the percentage of growth of yield rate of rice (Kg/Ha) is more in Subarnapur district in comparision to Bargarh district. Though there is disparity in the growth rate of yield of rice(Kg/Ha) among the districts of western Odisha, still in all districts irrespective of climatic zones there is rising trend in the productivity of rice of in study period (2008-09 to 2012-13). This result analysis is supported by the testing of hypothesis, tested as follows based on the result of the K-W (H) TEST. The K-W (H) TEST shows that the difference in the yield rate of rice (Kg/Ha) in the study period across the climatic zones as well as districts is found statistically insignificant.
Major Findings
It is found that the yield rate of rice (Kg/Ha) has increased irrespective of climatic zones and districts of western Odisha in the period of the study. But there is disparity in it among the districts as well as climatic zones. The disparity in the productivity of rice in western Odisha in the period under study is due to the difference in several compounding factors including the difference in prudent management of high potential land, continuation and supplementation of soil fertility through a number of integrated practices, a mix of technologies that are generously utilized the advances in the progressive of science and enhanced the proper utilisation of credit dispensed by banks.
Conclusion
Thus, it is concluded that the yield rate of rice (Kg/Ha) has grown appreciably in the period of study but not same in all districts and climatic zones. This spells out the difference in the use of high yielding seeds, machine labour, hired labour and application of fertiliser, pesticides and insecticides, etc. It is true that the yield rate of rice has grown but whether it is gainful for the farmers of entire area under study or not, is really a matter of great apprehension. Accordingly, it is very important to assess the productivity in entire area to determine the true growth and success of the use of modern agricultural practices. So, it is the very important for the researchers to study in this line and policy makers to take required attention and necessary measures to solve the problem relating to disparity in the yield rate of rice.
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