India’s record procurement levels should not be viewed as an achievement, but instead as pointers to deep flaws in the agriculture marketing system. They have led to excessive stocks of wheat and rice, created by a procurement system that inadvertently ends up encouraging the cultivation of these two crops alone. Wheat procured annually has risen over 70 per cent between 2013-14 and now to 44 million tonnes, and doubled in the case of paddy over this period to 70 million tonnes.

Reasons for the success of what-rice system

• The most important cause was the government’s support for farmers in the form of a minimum price. Farmers would not have to worry about low prices since they would have a guaranteed income. As a result, they began to cultivate rice and wheat crops.
• Agriculture research resulted in the development of new varieties of seeds that were both climate adaptable and drought resistant. Following research on these crops resulted in increased productivity and shorter growing days.
• The rice and wheat system was effective because fertilisers and irrigation were available in time. This allowed for an expansion in the area under these crops. As a result of this phenomena, the production per acre increased as well.

Issues with the system

• Rice and wheat are water-intensive crops. The amount of water required to produce one kilogramme of grains is excessive. This has put a strain on the region’s ground water levels.
• Excessive emphasis on rice and wheat crops transformed the Indian agricultural system into a monocrop, with a single variety occupying enormous expanses of land. This had an impact on the fertility of the ground.
• Cash crop cultivation has all but gone in several parts of the nation, including Haryana and Punjab. This also had an impact on the supply of raw materials for companies.

Wayforward

• For a change in cropping, a push to millets too is called for. At present they are not in sufficient demand at the retail level, save high-end, health-conscious urban consumers. For a crop that consumes just a tenth of the water needed to grow a unit of paddy, it makes sense to invest in processing and exports, for which the market is growing.
• Procurement must be supplemented for pulses and other crops by the creation of strong private markets and institutions such as cooperative FPOs in the long term, which reduce intermediation costs.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/food-for-thought/article65088083.ece

How to structure

1. Give an intro about India’s total agri farming area dedicated for these crops- use a map
2. Explain how the rice and wheat became the most cultivated crops- give reasons
3. Explain how though this has reduced hunger it also affected us negatively- over-drawing of water, soil nutrient depletion etc
4. Write way forward
5. Conclude