Trends in Agricultural Productivity in India

Agriculture has historically been the backbone of India’s economy, employing a significant share of the workforce and contributing substantially to national income. Productivity in agriculture, however, has experienced varied phases of growth, closely linked with technological changes, policy initiatives, and socio-economic transformations. Since independence, India’s agricultural productivity has been shaped by the Green Revolution, structural limitations, and more recent diversification trends.

Background and Pre-Green Revolution Phase

In the period prior to the Green Revolution (before the mid-1960s), India’s agricultural productivity remained relatively low. The yield per hectare for crops such as rice, wheat, and pulses was significantly below global averages. Agriculture was largely dependent on monsoon rainfall, traditional seeds, and manual labour with minimal use of chemical fertilisers or mechanisation. As a result, productivity gains were marginal.
The food scarcity of the 1950s and early 1960s, coupled with population growth, underlined the urgent need for technological intervention. This phase also highlighted systemic challenges such as fragmented landholdings, subsistence-level farming, and limited access to credit or irrigation facilities.

The Green Revolution and Its Impact

The Green Revolution, introduced in the mid-1960s, marked a watershed moment in Indian agriculture. High-Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and irrigation systems transformed food grain production, particularly in states such as Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh.

• Rice and wheat gains: Rice productivity had already shown gradual improvements before the Green Revolution, but wheat yields witnessed an exponential rise afterwards, especially between the 1960s and 1980s.
• Regional disparity: The benefits of the Green Revolution were concentrated in areas with assured irrigation and institutional support, leaving rain-fed regions less impacted.
• Food self-sufficiency: India reduced dependence on food imports, achieving self-sufficiency in food grains by the late 1970s and building substantial buffer stocks.

Post-Green Revolution Productivity Trends

While the Green Revolution brought remarkable improvements, subsequent decades revealed stagnation in yield growth. Most food grains grew at an average rate of only around 2% annually. Pulses, coarse cereals, and oilseeds lagged behind rice and wheat in productivity gains.
In comparison with other agricultural nations, India continues to face challenges:

• Wheat productivity: India produces nearly half as much wheat per hectare compared with China, and only a third compared with France.
• Rice productivity: Despite being a major rice producer, India lags behind countries such as Vietnam and China.
• Diversification issues: Productivity of commercial crops such as cotton, sugarcane, and oilseeds has seen improvements, but challenges of input costs, water intensity, and climate risks remain.

Causes of Low Agricultural Productivity

Several structural and systemic issues continue to limit agricultural productivity in India:

• Small and fragmented landholdings due to inheritance laws and generational division of land.
• Disguised unemployment and low marginal productivity in rural labour.
• Inadequate irrigation facilities, with nearly half of the net sown area still dependent on rainfall.
• Slow adoption of modern technology and mechanisation, particularly among small farmers.
• Inefficient credit and marketing systems, with institutional delivery of loans and Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) structures restricting farmer benefits.
• Price volatility and production risks, especially for perishable commodities.
• Rising costs of inputs such as fertilisers, seeds, and energy.
• Limited skill development and extension services for farmers.
• Slow progress of land reforms and inadequate storage infrastructure.

Role of States and Policy Dimensions

Agriculture and land are state subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, placing the responsibility of enhancing productivity primarily on state governments. Policy frameworks, subsidy structures, and irrigation initiatives vary widely across states, leading to uneven agricultural growth. Progressive states such as Punjab and Haryana witnessed rapid productivity growth, while eastern and central states remained less advanced.

Measures to Improve Agricultural Productivity

Enhancing agricultural productivity in India requires comprehensive interventions that balance technological, institutional, and socio-economic reforms:

• Expansion of irrigation through efficient techniques such as drip and sprinkler systems.
• Promotion of agricultural mechanisation, particularly affordable tools for smallholders.
• Upgrading storage and transport infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses.
• Reforms in marketing, including rationalising the APMC Act to give farmers greater freedom to sell produce.
• Improved access to quality seeds and fertilisers, along with farmer training and extension services.
• Encouragement of multiple cropping and crop diversification to reduce risks.
• Exploration of genetically modified (GM) crops under strict safeguards, with a focus on drought resistance and pest tolerance.
• Strengthening institutional credit mechanisms and reducing reliance on informal lenders.
• Tenant farmer security and land consolidation policies to improve economies of scale.

Future Prospects

India’s agricultural productivity must adapt to contemporary challenges of shrinking farmland, urbanisation, industrialisation, and climate change. Since the availability of additional cultivable land is limited, yield improvements will have to be driven by better technology, sustainable practices, and efficient resource management. With food demand expected to rise due to population growth and dietary diversification, the focus will be on enhancing productivity in a sustainable and inclusive manner.