Swarajya Logo
Swarajya Logo
Politics States Economy Society Business Culture Infra Defence World Books Ideas Science Technology Heritage Archives Legal Movies Sports
  • Our Views
    Politics States Economy Society Business Culture Infra Defence World Books Ideas Science Technology Heritage Archives Legal Movies Sports
  • Magazine
  • Store

About Swarajya

Swarajya is a publication by Kovai Media Private Limited.

Swarajya - a big tent for liberal right of centre discourse that reaches out, engages and caters to the new India.

editor@swarajyamag.com

Useful Links

  • About Us
  • Subscriptions Support
  • Editorial Philosophy
  • Press Kit
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism Policy
  • Refund & Cancellation Policy

Useful Links

  • About Us
  • Subscriptions Support
  • Editorial Philosophy
  • Press Kit
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism Policy
  • Refund & Cancellation Policy

Participate

  • Contact Us
  • Write for us
  • Style Guide
  • Jobs

Stay Connected

  • Artboard 2 Copy 6Created with Sketch.
    Artboard 2 Copy 10Created with Sketch.
    Artboard 2 Copy 7Created with Sketch.
    Artboard 2 Copy 9Created with Sketch.
  • Andriod Logo
  • IOS Logo

Economy

Green Shoots: Economy Stands To Gain As Rabi Season Sowing Set For New Record On Higher Support Price

M R SubramaniThursday, January 23, 2020 4:07 pm IST
A farmer sprinkles pesticides in his field.
A farmer sprinkles pesticides in his field.
A farmer sprinkles pesticides in his field.
  • Encouraged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vow of higher support price, India is witnessing record sowing this rabi season. This could be the green shoots of recovery.
  • Those looking for the green shoots in the economy should find the latest sowing data of the rabi (winter) crops encouraging.

    A heartening feature for the Narendra Modi government, which is under pressure from the critics for slower growth in recent months, is that sowing of wheat, rice, pulses and oilseeds have already exceeded the normal area (average area under a crop in the last 10 years) under rabi.

    This is the trend as on 16 January and if this continues, we could witness record rabi sowing of wheat, rice, gram (chana), rapeseed/mustard, lentils, kulthi, barley and other pulses. Sowing in some crops could continue until this month-end.

    Overall rabi acreage is higher at 64.14 million hectares (mh) against the normal 63.4 mh and last year’s 60.03 mh. There are a couple of reasons why sowing of rabi crops this year is higher than the normal coverage.

    One of the reasons for higher sowing is the government’s decision to raise the minimum support price (MSP) in tune with its policy to ensure farmers get 1.5 times the return of the crop production cost.

    This has ensured impressive MSP for crops such as lentils (rates hiked by Rs 3,250/tonne), rapeseed/mustard (Rs 2,250/tonne hike), wheat, barley (both Rs 850/tonne hike) and gram (Rs 2,550/tonne hike).

    A higher MSP necessarily need not result in a higher coverage of the respective crop. Farmers have been encouraged to go for higher planting also because last year, various parts of the country witnessed unusual rainfall until 10 November.

    Though the rains wrecked the kharif (summer) crops growth and harvest, particularly onion, soybean, cotton and rice, they helped in improving the soil moisture. Better soil moisture aided increasing planting of the rabi crops.

    Another reason that is encouraging and could even stand in good stead for early kharif crops sowing such as groundnut in Gujarat is the higher water storage in the major reservoirs of the country.

    According to the Central Water Commission, the water level in the 95 major reservoirs in the country that help irrigation is 96.554 billion cubic metres (BCM) against the full capacity of 125.19 BCM. This is 77 per cent of the capacity.

    Last year, the water level was 58.23 BCM (47 per cent of capacity), while the average storage level (of last 10 years) is 64.353 BCM (51 per cent of capacity).

    The storage level in Himachal Pradesh and Tripura is lower than last year, while in Punjab it is the same as last year. In the rest of the states, the water level is higher than last year.

    The higher than average sowing and conducive conditions for rabi crops mean there could be a renewed activity in rural India from mid-March. This promises a good start to the next financial year starting April.

    If the higher acreage can lead to higher production, then the much required spending in rural India will take place on a larger scale. That will lead to an increased demand for white goods, fast moving consumer goods, automobiles and even luxury goods.

    Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her team in the Finance Ministry could perhaps be relying on a record if not higher rabi crops production when the Union Budget will be tabled in Parliament on 1 February.

    There is one fear, though. Farmers could face the problem related to production glut which can lead to distress sale by them. It would be prudent on the part of the Centre to watch out and be prepared against such a development.

    Tags
    Narendra Modi
    Gujarat
    Finance Ministry
    Union Budget
    Nirmala Sitharaman
    Kharif
    Rabi
    Indian Agriculture
    Rural India
    Agricultural Economy
    Central Water Commission
    Narendra Modi 2.0
    Higher Acreage
    Higher Production
    BCM
    Water Storage

    Comments ↓

    An Appeal...


     

    Dear Reader,

     

    As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.

     

    Our business model is you and your subscription.  And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.

     

    We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.

     

    Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.

    Get Swarajya in your inbox.


    Magazine


    Swarajya Magazine Cover Image
    Merchandise

    Merchandise


      Politics

      Axis-My India Exit Poll Gives Clear Majority To Congress In Telangana, Others Predict Close Contest With BRS

      Axis-My India Exit Poll Gives Clear Majority To Congress In Telangana, Others Predict Close Contest With BRS

      Nishtha Anushree
      9h

      Minority Student Scholarship Scam: Aadhaar-Based Biometric Authentication Helps Uncover 6.7 Lakh Bogus Applicants

      Nayan Dwivedi
      13h

      Jammu-Kashmir Ready To Conduct Elections, Waiting For ECI Instructions: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha

      Nishtha Anushree
      15h

      Economy

      Sorry, Cassandras. India's GDP Could Well Top 7 Per Cent In Fiscal 2023-24

      Sorry, Cassandras. India's GDP Could Well Top 7 Per Cent In Fiscal 2023-24

      R Jagannathan
      18h

      India's GDP Grows 7.6 Per Cent In July-September Quarter

      Nayan Dwivedi
      1d

      India's Fiscal Deficit Stood At Rs 8.037 Lakh Crore In First Seven Months Of Fiscal Year

      Swarajya News Staff
      1d

      Defence

      India To Secure Entire Pakistan And Bangladesh Borders In Next Two Years: Home Minister Amit Shah On BSF Day

      India To Secure Entire Pakistan And Bangladesh Borders In Next Two Years: Home Minister Amit Shah On BSF Day

      Nayan Dwivedi
      11h

      Indian Navy Makes History By Appointing First Female 'Commanding Officer' Of A Naval Ship

      Swarajya Staff
      13h

      Centre Putting All-Out Efforts To Bring Them Back: Indian Navy Chief On Veterans Sentenced To Death In Qatar

      Swarajya Staff
      13h

      World

      COP28: PM Modi Asks Developed Nations To Fully Decrease Carbon Footprint By 2050, Applauds Fund To Combat Climate Change

      COP28: PM Modi Asks Developed Nations To Fully Decrease Carbon Footprint By 2050, Applauds Fund To Combat Climate Change

      Nishtha Anushree
      9h

      India-US To Bolster Ties In Pharma, Semiconductor Sectors; Honeywell, Pfizer, Kyndryl, Viasat CEOs New Joinees To Forum

      Nishtha Anushree
      11h

      COP28: PM Modi Proposes To Host COP33 In India, Emphasises On Need For Technology Transfer, Clean Energy Supply Chain

      Nishtha Anushree
      13h

      Culture

      Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023 To Be Held From 17 December To 30 December, Registration Portal Launched By IIT Madras

      Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023 To Be Held From 17 December To 30 December, Registration Portal Launched By IIT Madras

      S Rajesh
      3d

      M P N Ponnusamy: A Nagaswara Legend Passes Away Almost Unsung

      K Balakumar
      3d

      Streamlined Repatriation: India-US Deal To Fast-Track Return Of Stolen Antiquities

      Swarajya Staff
      5d
      States

      infrastructure


      V Bhagya Subhashini
      1

      Bengaluru Airport: BIAL Reveals Comprehensive Master Plan For T1 Upgrade And T3 Construction By 2030

      2 Mins Read
      Amit Mishra
      2

      Noida Proposes To Build 35 Km Elevated Road Along The Yamuna To Ease Travel To Greater Noida

      2 Mins Read
      Swarajya Staff
      3

      Noida Metro Expansion: DMRC Submits DPR For 11.5 Km Aqua Line Corridor Linking Botanical Garden To Greater Noida Region

      2 Mins Read
      V Bhagya Subhashini
      4

      Chennai Metro Phase II: CMRL Inks Rs 269 Crore Deal With Alstom For 10 Driverless Train Sets

      2 Mins Read