Tag: the economy of maharashtra

Both food crops and cash crops are grown in Maharashtra. Principal crops include rice, jowar, bajra, wheat, pulses, turmeric, onions, cotton, sugarcane and several oil seeds including groundnut, sunflower and soybean. The state has huge areas, under fruit cultivation of which mangoes, bananas, grapes, and oranges are the main ones. 

Agriculture is the mainstay of the state of Maharashtra. Maharashtra's economy is predominantly agrarian. Agriculture and allied services play an important role in the economic development of the state.

There are a large number of marginal and small farmers in the country. More than 60 per cent of the ownership holdings have a size smaller than one (ha). Furthermore, about 40 per cent of the farmers have operational holding size smaller than 0.5 hectare (ha). The average size of land holding is shrinking further under increasing population pressure.

According to Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2017-18, following measures have been undertaken by the Maharashtra government for agricultural development:

• Setting up of APMC
• Establishment of Agro Export Zone
  
• Horticulture training centres
  
• Grading and packaging facilities for effective distribution
• Creating awareness about agricultural information through the use of mass media for making agriculture a profit making business

Following are general problems in the agricultural sector:

• Agricultural Indebtedness
• Dryland and inadequate irrigation facilities
• Lack of working capital

Following are the problems in the agricultural sector in Maharashtra:

• Lack of marketing facilities
• Impact of Climate change
  
• Adverse crop patterns
  
• Excessive use of chemical fertilizer
• Agricultural indebtedness

Following measures have been taken by Maharashtra government for agricultural development in the state:

• Distribution of quality seeds at reasonable rates
• Increased number of outlets for fertilizer and pesticide distribution
• Development of irrigation facilities
• Electrification of agricultural pumps and efforts to provide 'electricity on demand'.

Irrigation covers only about 33 percent of the cultivated area in India. The crop production in rest of the cultivated land directly depends on rainfall. Poor performance of south-west Monsoon also adversely affects the supply of canal water for irrigation.