5 Amazing Indian Farming Facts - Must Know
Agriculture has been with us since a very long time. Even though we do not work in agriculture it affects our daily lives.
Here are 5 fun facts about agriculture!
Myth 1:
Indian Agriculture is on a Perpetual Decline
Fact:
- India ranks 2nd in the world in terms of agriculture production.
- India’s world rank in industry and services sector is 5th and 9th respectively.
- Indian agricultural production has augmented from 87 USD bn to 459 USD bn in the last 15 years (12% annual growth).
- Worldwide, India ranks 9th for the agricultural exports.
Indian Agriculture is only Food- Grains Centrical
Fact:
- Indian agriculture is many-sided, with animal husbandry and horticulture contributing to around 60% of the agricultural GDP of India.
- India is the major milk producing country, and ranks 2nd in fruits & vegetables, 3rd in fish production, 4th in egg and 5th in poultry production worldwide.
- Livestock and horticulture production make up a large share of marginal and small farmers, and therefore plays an important role in the rural economy.
Myth 3:
Diminishing Size of Indian Farm Land Results in Low Production
Fact:
- India and China with the widely held marginal and small land holdings are 1st and 2nd in the agriculture production worldwide.
- The cumulative production/ha/year in small farms is greater on account of manifold cropping intensity, varied output (livestock+ crop) and round the year accessibility of family labour.
- Yield per acre per crop is not an actual measure of the Indian farm yield (as agriculture in India doesn’t follow monoculture like the other western countries).
Myth 4:
Indian Agriculture is Profoundly Reliant on Rainfall
Fact:
- Indian agriculture is dependant on monsoon thanks to chief share of livestock production and horticulture which are round the year activity.
- The irrigated area in India (96mn ha) is the largest in the world
Myth 5:
Organic Farming Can Help with Sustainability of Indian Agriculture
Fact:
- Internationally, only 1% of the agricultural land comes under organic agriculture.
- 100% organic farms are not a sustainable model as there is a high prerequisite of organic manure; however, productivity is seen to be much low.
- Sikkim which is claimed to be a completely organic farming state, is profoundly reliant on other states to feed its populace.