Question

Briefly explain the effect of government policy on crop pattern in india

Answer 1

Crop pattern refers to the proportion of area under different crops at a particular period of time. Government Policies like, fixed procurement price of wheat and rice and other Government controls have induced farmers to shift the cultivation to cash crop like sugarcane. Farmers also would choose the combination of crops which would give them maximum income. Relative profitability per acre is the main consideration which influences the crop pattern. Small farmers are first interested in producing food grains for their requirements and devote only a small relative acreage to cash crops than large farmers. Food Crop Acts, Land use Acts, intensive schemes for paddy, cotton, oil seed etc. all these bring sharply into focus the possibility that while each individual measure may push the crop pattern in the direction intended to, but if the overall effect of all measures taken together on the entire crop pattern is taken, it may not be in accordance with national requirements.