From Plate to Plough: The farm-factory connect | The Indian Express

From Plate to Plough: The farm-factory connect | The Indian Express

Written by Ashok Gulati |Updated: June 10, 2019 4:36:39 am

The writer is chair professor for agriculture at ICRIER. Views are personal

From Plate to Plough: The farm-factory connect

Raising farm productivity is the first step to increasing rural demand and reviving the manufacturing sector

There is ample evidence that much of Indian agriculture is globally competitive. But our restrictive policies constrain the private sector from building direct supply chains from farms to ports, which bypass the mandi system.

As per the last report of National Statistical Office (NSO) released on May 31, the Gross Value Added (GVA) at basic prices (2011-12 prices) for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2018-19 has slumped to 5.7 per cent for the overall economy, 3.1 per cent for manufacturing, and -0.1 percent for agriculture, forestry and fishery. However, for the entire financial year, FY19, GVA growth is more respectable — 6.6 per cent for the economy, 6.9 per cent for manufacturing and 2.9 per cent for agriculture.