Farm growth at realistic levels

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries are a drag in the gross domestic numbers (GDP) numbers released on Tuesday. These have slumped from seven per cent growth in 2010-11 to just about 2.5 per cent in 2011-12.

Though most experts have attributed this fall to a high base (farm production rose a staggering seven per cent in 2010-11), others feel the waning of the impact of the drought in 2009 on agriculture has brought farm growth to realistic levels. In 2009-10, India’s foodgrain output dropped to 218 million tonnes, as the country suffered one of the worst droughts in 30 years. The output rose a steep 12 per cent in 2010-11 to 245 million tonnes. At 250 million tonnes, the growth this year has been rather moderate.

Data showed a big fall in growth in grains output — just 2.3 per cent in 2011-12 against 12.2 per cent in 2010-11 — was the primary reason for the overall fall in agriculture GDP. “The drop in agriculture growth is largely because of the impact of the high base last year. From seven per cent, it would not be prudent to expect a similar rise,” Pronab Sen, principal advisor to the Planning Commission told Business Standard.