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ECONOMIC TRENDS
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AGRARIAN ECONOMY
Optimum production of agricultural commodities is conditioned by
factors, such as fertile land, assured and timely rainfall,
irrigation facilities, healthy climatic conditions, improved
methods of farming, green as well as chemical fertilisers,
improved seeds, preservation of fertility of the soil by means of
soil conservation and assurance to the agriculturist of a fair
return for his produce. Besides availability of the natural
factors of production, institutional agencies like co-operative
credit and marketing societies, better farming societies,
development blocks, regulated markets and governmental authorities
contribute largely towards the expansion of agricultural
production. The role of these institutional agencies is vital in
so far as they help the farmer who lacks economic strength due to
his isolation. The facilities, such as, irrigation, seed supply,
provision of fertilisers, credit, finance, soil conservation,
transport, cooperative marketing, etc., can be obtained from
collective organisations. Economic planning on a national scale is
a dire necessity in this respect. Economic planning not only
provides for the various aids to development but broadens the
horizon of production.
It is in this perspective that the broad agro-economic trends and
potentialities of Bhir district will be discussed in the following
paragraphs.
The economy of this district is predominantly agrarian in nature.
Agriculture provides the principal means of livelihood to 4.50.000
persons out of a total of 10.01,000. With 90 per cent of the
population residing in rural areas, agriculture is, by far, the
most important occupation.
The important foodcrops of the district are jowar, bajri, wheat,
tur, gram and rice. The economic condition of the district
also rests upon commercial crops, such as, cotton and groundnut.
Table No. 1 gives percentages of the area under different crops,
for all the years in the last decade.
TABLE No. 1
Area under crops, Bhir district (1950-51 to 1960-61)
|
Year |
Total area |
Cereals |
Pulses |
Groundnut |
Cotton |
Other |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
|
1950-51 |
100 |
52 |
20 |
8 |
5 |
15 |
|
1951-52 |
100 |
51 |
22 |
7 |
13 |
7 |
|
1952-53 |
100 |
53 |
17 |
7 |
8 |
15 |
|
1953-54 |
100 |
50 |
18 |
6 |
8 |
18 |
|
1954-55 |
100 |
52 |
18 |
11 |
10 |
9 |
|
1955-56 |
100 |
52 |
17 |
9 |
11 |
11 |
|
1956-57 |
100 |
52 |
16 |
9 |
11 |
12 |
|
1957-58 |
100 |
53 |
16 |
7 |
7 |
17 |
|
1958-59 |
100 |
52 |
16 |
7 |
7 |
18 |
|
1959-60 |
100 |
54 |
15 |
7 |
6 |
18 |
|
1960-61 |
100 |
60 |
12 |
8 |
7 |
13 |
It is evident from this statement that
cereals occupy the most important position in the agricultural
economy of Bhir district. The area under pulses declined gradually
over the decade. It may, however, be noted that the area under
different crops has not a corresponding bearing on the yield and
total production, because the latter depends on seasonal and
climatic factors as well as methods of cultivation.
In the following table (No. 2) are given the statistics of total
production of the important crops during the years 1952-53,
1953-54, 1955-56, 1959-60 and 1960-61.
TABLE No. 2
Crop Production in Bhir District
(Figures in metric tons)
|
Commodity |
Year |
|
1952-53 |
1953-54 |
1955-56 |
1959-60 |
1960-61 |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
|
Jowar |
89,601.040 (88,190) |
117,287.040 (1,15,440) |
111,617.760 (1,09,860) |
99,730.560 (98,160) |
123,352.560 (1,21,410) |
|
Bajri |
17,353.280 (17,080) |
27,289.760 (26,860) |
26,324.560 (25,910) |
19,324.320 (19,020) |
21,823.680 (21,480) |
|
Wheat |
5,577.840 (5,490) |
6,258.560 (6,160) |
12,913.360 (12,710) |
14,274.800 (14,050) |
13,878.560 (13,660) |
|
Gram |
5,252.720 (5,170) |
8,442.960 (8,310) |
10,861.040 (10,690) |
16,266.160 (16,010) |
17,190.720 (16,920) |
|
Tur |
3,698.240 (3,640) |
6,360.160 (6,260) |
5,445.760 (5,360) |
6,360.160 (6,260) |
5,547.360 (5,460) |
|
Rice |
1,493.520 (1,470) |
3,007.360 (2,960) |
5,252.720 (5,170) |
2,580.640 (2,540) |
3,220.720 (3,170) |
|
Groundnut |
29,718.000 (29,250) |
48,727.360 (47,960) |
58,501.280 (.57,580) |
22,666.960 (22,310) |
23,388.320 (.23,020) |
|
Cotton |
13/622.960 (13,310) |
38,120.320 (37,520) |
N.A. |
62,626.240 (61,640) |
46,370.240 (45,640) |
|
Sugarcane |
3,891.280 (3,830) |
2,773.680 (2,730) |
4,937.760 (4,860) |
9,885.680 (9,730) |
N.A. |
Fig. in brackets indicate production in
tons.
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