Critical Study of Agricultural Productivity in Uttar Pradesh 1951-1975

Economists, sociologists, political thinkers, planners, and administrators alike hold the view that the economic development of India depends ultimately on the agricultural development. Keeping in view the magnitude of population and vastness of area the economic development of Uttar Pradesh has an important role to play in the economic development of the country. In the economic development of the state the role of agricultural development is decisive. In this book an attempt has been made by the author to study both analytically and graphically the broad trends in area, production and productivity of principle crops in the state. The author has made a gigantic effort in presenting time series data on the various variables used in the study. For studying supply response of important crops like rice, wheat and sugarcane the well known Nerlovian Lag Adjustment Model has been used. The price response of sugarcane alone has turned out to be positive. Besides studying cropping pattern a survey of land use pattern also has been made. On the basis of population projections rough estimates of future availability of various food grains has also been attempted. Important policy decisions with respect to farm production need special mention: (i) the emphasis is to be laid on vertical expansion of land and (ii) there is need for developing a farm technology which keeps the farms permanently under crops.