Page 99 - DECO303_INDIAN_ECONOMY_ENGLISH

Indian Economy

Notes million hectares under hybrid rice as against the target of 2 million hectares by the year 2000.
The following factors are accountable for the slow progress:
(a) Since the extra seed costs for hybrid seeds are of the order of ` 1,500 per hectare, the yield
gain has returns to the farmer. As a result, the farmers have not felt inspired about the use
of hybrid rice.
(b) The existence of an aroma and stickiness in the hybrid-rice grain has not been able to make
it acceptable to the consumers, especially in South India. Consequently, hybrid rice fetches
lower prices, which again generates an unfavourable influence on the rate of return to
farmers.
(c) Hybrid rice is also said to be more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
As per Mr Harish Damodaran, China is “the only country that has so far actually managed to
adopt hybrid technology in any important way. Over 50 per cent of China’s 32 million hectares
rice area is recently covered under hybrid rice, which also explains for 70 per cent of total rice
output. To turn hybrid rice more acceptable to the farmers, China offered seeds to farmers at
subsidised prices. Also, the Chinese government offered incentives to hybrid seed growers to
diminish costs. China has also standardised its hybrid seed production methods, with seed
yields averaging 2.5 tonnes per hectare, against 1 to 1.5 tonnes being attained by experienced
breeders in India.
But, the hybrid technology in wheat is still at an initial stage of development and research
attempts shall have to be reinforced for quite some time so as to acquire a break-through in the
yield barrier.

Task Research on the progress of agriculture in Haryana and Punjab economy.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
10. Audit is …………………….
11. India has been able to bring only …………………… million hectares under hybrid rice as
against the target of 2 million hectares by the year 2000.
12. …………………… in India have been making efforts to develop hybrid varieties of rice
and wheat so that the yield barrier operating at present can be broken.

6.4 Thrust Areas in Agriculture Sector

You must understand that on the basis of topography and climatic conditions of the State and
endeavour for accomplishment in food self-sufficiency, urgency will remain to be given to
food-grains production. Though area extension under food-grains is imperfect due to the hilly
terrain, the main policies will be to further develop the present rice fields with irrigation
facilities for numerous cropping, increase the level of efficiency per unit area over efficient use
of fertilizers and organic manure, more area attention under high yielding varieties, adequate
and need-based plant safety measures and adoption of better crop production technology. Further,
land otherwise unsuitable for food-grain crops will be profitably exploited for rising of
horticulture and plantation crops. The priority areas are:

Attempting to increase crop intensity by facilitating the availability of proper inputs and
other necessary resources.

94 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY