Agriculture is a significant sector in the Indian economy, employing over 50% of the population. Indian farmers have been facing various challenges like unpredictable weather conditions, pest attacks, inadequate irrigation facilities, and market fluctuations. All these factors have contributed to the losses incurred by Indian farmers in agriculture. This case study will examine some of the losses incurred by Indian farmers in agriculture.
Losses incurred by Indian farmers:
- Crop failure: Indian farmers have been facing crop failures due to unpredictable weather conditions like droughts, floods, and untimely rainfall. In 2019, India witnessed the worst monsoon in 25 years, resulting in crop losses of around $10 billion. The farmers who invested their money and time in cultivating crops faced significant losses due to crop failures.
- Low prices: Indian farmers often face low prices for their produce due to market fluctuations and the lack of an organized market system. The middlemen in the supply chain take a significant share of the profit, leaving the farmers with little to no profit. In 2020, tomato farmers in Madhya Pradesh faced losses of around Rs 30,000 per acre due to the fall in tomato prices.
- Pests and diseases: Indian farmers have been facing pest attacks and diseases that destroy their crops. The use of pesticides and other chemicals to control pests and diseases further increases the cost of cultivation. In 2020, locust swarms destroyed crops worth Rs 1,000 crore in Rajasthan, causing significant losses to farmers.
- Lack of infrastructure: The lack of proper irrigation facilities, storage facilities, and transportation infrastructure often leads to post-harvest losses. In 2019, around 30% of the fruits and vegetables produced in India were wasted due to the lack of proper storage and transportation facilities.
- Debt trap: Indian farmers often take loans to meet the expenses of cultivation. In case of crop failure or low prices, they are unable to repay the loans, leading to a debt trap. In 2020, more than 10,000 farmers committed suicide due to the debt trap in India.
Indian farmers have been facing numerous challenges in agriculture, resulting in significant losses. The government needs to take necessary measures to improve the infrastructure, provide timely and adequate credit facilities, and ensure remunerative prices for farmers' produce. Only then can we expect sustainable growth of agriculture in India.
