Farm growth in UPA era better than 4 years of NDA even under new series

The data also shows that in 2010-11, just after one of the worst droughts, India clocked perhaps one of its best growth rates in agriculture at 8.8%

In 2017-18, farm GDP at constant prices and current prices (which is a proxy and broad estimate of food inflation) was just 1.05 per cent. This could play a big role in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections because falling farm prices and dropping rural incomes become a major election issue.

The Congress is set to cash in on the superlative performance of the sector during its regime, placing it with low growth during the subsequent NDA years.

In the ongoing Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, agrarian crisis, characterised by low farm prices, is expected to play a big part in determining the fate of the ruling BJP.

“Till a few years ago, soybean in the open market fetched us not less than Rs 4,000 a quintal ever for the worst quality. However, for the past 2-3 years we aren’t getting prices more than Rs 3,500 a quintal even for the best quality,” said Lakhichand Sinam, a farmer in Soni village of Mandsaur, where police firing on agitating growers lead to many deaths last year.

Meanwhile, thousands of farmers from across the country converged in Delhi on Thursday for a two-day protest to press for their demands, including debt relief and remunerative prices for their produce.

Farmers who will march to Ramlila Ground on Thursday and to Parliament Street on Friday have come from different parts of the country including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and West Bengal.