Agriculture Q2 growth shows marginal recovery at 2.1%; farmer incomes dip

Most rabi crops, including wheat, mustard and chana, were selling at 10% to 37% below the MSP in the first few months after their harvest

Agriculture and allied sector growth showed a marginal recovery of 2.1 per cent at constant prices in the second quarter (July-September or Q2) of 2019-20 (FY20), up from 2 per cent in the first quarter (April-June or Q1). 

Farmer incomes, however, dipped as nominal growth slipped on account of a bumper rabi harvest last year. Farm growth in real terms during the same period last year was 4.9 per cent. 

A drop in nominal growth from 7.9 per cent in Q1FY20 to 7.4 per cent in Q2FY20 meant that overall inflation, which could also be a proxy for farmers’ income, dropped from