Indian Agriculture and Milestones in National Growth

Time and again, the policy makers in India have been observing - as it is pivotal - the growth rate in agricultural sector should be at least 3-4 percent annually to sustain an 8-10 percent growth in GDP.It should be noted – as our policy makers lament - since 1997, agriculture has grown at a trend rate of 2.5 percent only with wide fluctuations year to year, mainly due to lack of reforms, declining public investment and poor pre-modern infrastructure.Unlike other areas, agriculture provides basic food and livelihood for the masses. It prepares the work force – the major and principle component of the tools of Industrial production – fit and ready for their factories and offices. Industrial nations – whose ratings of food production potential and self sufficiency are high – start spurning the notions of earlier days, and present a positive and objective observations over the developing countries and acknowledge the requisite of level playing grounds with them. Amongst Brazil and China, India is a clear global choice. Since, India being the signatory of World Trade organisation, balanced perspectives on this issue is apprehensive of unfair trade tariffs, unrestricted imports and unequivocal distribution of subsidies, which would impart immense setbacks in the development, and poverty alleviation strategies of the country. It should be noted surplus production in the conventional field crops like rice and wheat could not be exported in the International Market profitably as the ruling prices are far below the cost of procurement. Subsequently, with the mounting stocks the prices of commodities in the domestic market have crashed below cost of production. Fortunately, developing countries including India realised the seriousness of the drawbacks and rose up to the occasion and the keyword now is commercial agriculture / horticulture.The phenomenon holds the descriptive concepts of attainable milestones in economic growth in India.