Sen, H.S. (2014).Presented during the AGM of ISSS, Kolkata Chapter, held at NBSS&LUP, Kolkata, 30 Aug, 2014

Agriculture and Horticulture in West Bengal: Present Status Holds Promise while its Future Demands Long Term Planning with Focus on Commercialization and the Role of Soil Science¹

H.S.Sen

Former Director, Central Research Institute for Jute & Allied Fibres (ICAR/ DARE, GoI), Barrackpore, WB

Present address: 2/74 Naktala, Kolkata 700 047; Tele: 9874189762, 2481 2936, 2411 2381

Email: hssen.india@gmail.com, hssen2000@hotmail.com

1 Introduction

West Bengal agriculture has occupied around 3 percent of India's productive land. More than 8 percent of India's food are being generated by the agricultural sector of West Bengal. Small and marginal farmers rule over the West Bengal agriculture and cultivates more than 68 percent of the total area. The principal food crop cultivated in West Bengal agriculture is rice. Other food crops of West Bengal include maize, pulses, oil seeds, wheat, barley, potatoes, fruits, flowers, and vegetables. The most vital cash crop of West Bengal is Tea and it is also exported every year. The three other commercial crops that are cultivated highly in the agricultural sector in West Bengal are jute, tobacco and sugarcane. The chances of increasing the area of cultivation are so less that the agricultural department of West Bengal decided to increase the fecundity of various crops cultivated over there by using superior quality seeds, fertilizers, various plant protection schemes as well as improved package of practices. The department of agriculture in West Bengal also decided to distribute extra and vested land area to the actual agricultural labourers with the help of land reforms. This will act an added advantage to the productivity of the crops in West Bengal. There has been a significant rise in the cropping intensity of West Bengal from 131 percent to 162 percent during the last 2 decades. West Bengal agriculture has been sustaining its consistency in attaining a track record in food grains production. The agriculture in West Bengal recorded highest production in rice, and so witnessed a remarkable rise from 0.24 million tones to 0.55 million tonnes in the last decade in its production of oil seeds. West Bengal agriculture also ranks second in potato production in India as it produces about 28 percent of the total potatoes cultivated in India. Apart from these food crops, West Bengal agriculture produces more than 60 percent of world's raw jute fibre. The paper presents an overview, in respect of agriculture and horticulture in the State, of the existing scenario in production, agricultural policy of the government, impact of land reforms on productivity vis-a-vis poverty alleviation, regional variability in production, marketing strategy, mission and scope for improvement to meet future targets.

2  Scenario in agriculture & horticulture sectors

NABCONS prepared an excellent scenario in land classification & distribution, agriculture, horticulture, irrigation potential, forestry & wasteland development, watershed development, scope for post-harvest technologies & value addition, rural industries, etc. in the State.

With nearly 72 percent of the population living in the rural areas, agriculture is the predominant

occupation in the State. The index number of agricultural area, production and productivity during 2007-08 with 1981-82 as the base year was 116, 252 and 218, respectively. Agriculture in the State is small farmer centric with 90 percent of the cultivators being small and marginal farmers. Small and marginal farming communities hold 84% of the State’s agricultural lands. Marginal operational holding (less than 1 ha) accounts for 88.8 percent of the total operational holdings as against 69.8 percent at all India level.

Cropping pattern in the  State is dominated by food crops which account for about 78 percent of the area under principal crops. Rice is cultivated in 58.48 lakh hectares (production of 161.48 lakh MT) followed by cereals (all combined) in 63.49 lakh hectares and oilseeds in 7.14 lakh hectares, jute in 6.09 lakh hectares, and potato in 3.67 lakh hectares. The  State is second largest producer of potato after Uttar Pradesh and one of the highest producers of vegetables in the country. Traditionally, West Bengal has been the highest producer of jute. The  State also accounts for 25 percent of tea production in the country, next only to Assam. Against the ultimate irrigation potential of 67.43 lakh hectares, the gross irrigation potential created through major, medium and minor irrigation in the State till the end of March 2009 was 55.01 lakh hectares. The percentage utilization of potential created is 81.73 percent in major and medium irrigation structures and 81.64 percent in minor irrigation.

3  Land utilization

Net sown area covered 60.63 percent of the total reporting area during the period 1985-86 and 2006-07, while the current fallows varied between 0.7 to nearly 4 percent during the same period. Area under forests covered 13 to 14 percent of the total reporting area while 19-20 percent of the area was not available for cultivation.

4  Agricultural crops

The cropping pattern in the State is dominated by food crops which account for about 78 percent of the area under principal crops. Among single crops, paddy is cultivated in 57.19 lakh hectares followed by cereals (all combined) in 61.69 lakh hectares and oilseeds in 7.07 lakh hectares, jute in 6.09 lakh hectares and potato in 4.00 lakh hectares. West Bengal was the largest producers of paddy in the country with a production of 14719.50 MT in the year 2007-08 while the second largest producer of potato after Uttar Pradesh with 9900.80 MT in the same year. With a vegetable production of 12555960 MT, the State is also one of the highest producers of vegetable in the country. Traditionally, West Bengal has been the highest producer of jute. The State also accounts for 25 percent of tea production in the country, next only to Assam. There are 309 tea estates in the  State in the organized sector covering 103431 hectares. Besides, 8078 small growers are growing tea in 11094 hectares. Over the years, detailed data for selected crops on area coverage, production and productivity, etc. when recalculated using the index numbers for the assessment of different parameters would show that overall agricultural growth rates have plateaued with marginal ups and downs, quantitative loss in one being compensated by gains in another and vice versa. Production of rice and wheat has increased during 2006-07 over that in the year 1990-91. However production of pulses declined during the same period. Of the oilseeds, production of rapeseed and mustard remained almost static, while the production of sesame and other oilseeds improved during 2006-07 over that of 1990-91. Production of raw jute also improved over the years. Production of potato and sugarcane improved during the period under reference. A look into the comparative yield rates in West Bengal and India would reveal that per hectare yield in rice, gram and potato is higher in the  State than at all India level while the yield rates in wheat and mustard are lower than the all India level. It may also be observed that there has been a substantial improvement in the yield rates of different crops both at the State and All India level during the period 1980-81 and 2007-08. Cropping intensity in West Bengal improved steadily during the period 1990-91 to 2006-07 as the same was recorded as high as 182 percent during 2006-07 as against 159 recorded during 1990-91. Contribution of West Bengal to all India production of jute, potato, sesame, tea and rice were quite substantial, as these crops contributed 70.75, 30.35, 22.80, 20.28 and 14.16 percent, respectively, to the total all India production. The coverage under high yielding varieties of rice improved significantly during the recent years where more than 90 percent of areas under rice have been covered with high yielding varieties. The entire wheat area has been under high yielding since the eighties.

5  Plantation & Horticultural crops

The State has immense potential for development in horticulture sector both through horizontal (area expansion) and vertical integration (productivity improvement). With the implementation of National Horticulture Mission, the  State Government contemplates doubling the production under horticulture crops by the year 2011. It may be mentioned that McKinsey, in its vision document for West Bengal, has said that the State should aspire to be ‘the food bowl of India’. The potential for cultivation of horticulture crops such as banana, mango, pineapple, etc, tea plantations and floriculture amongst other crops is estimated at Rs.385.89 crore. The area coverage under fruits increased marginally by 3.80 percent during 2007-08 over the preceding year and production increased by 4.78 percent. The area under vegetables increased marginally to 9.12 lakh hectares in 2007-08 from 9.04 lakh hectares in 2006-07. Area under flowers increased by 5.55% in 2007-08 over 2006-07 and production of loose flowers increased by about 11 percent during 2007-08 over 2006-07. Production of cut flowers, however, increased by 52 percent during the same period. The production of major fruits like, mango, banana, papaya in the State has been increasing steadily over the last few years, however pineapple production has declined. Among the vegetables production, tomato, cabbage, brinjal, cucurbits, lady’s finger are increasing.

5.1  Demand analysis for horticulture produce

The per capita consumption of fruits and vegetables in the country, including the State of West Bengal, is less than 200 g per day against the recommended norm of 350 g. Inadequate production, transport and distribution bottlenecks associated with perishable produce are major contributing reasons for low level of consumption. This apart, predominantly cereal based food consumption habit in the country is also considered a major reason. This is amply explained from the fact that in West Bengal with a population of 8.74 crore (census 2001), the total production of vegetables including potato in 2007-08 was 224.56 lakh tonne. Considering 20 percent wastage, another 20 percent for outside trading and seeds, and 10 percent for processing and exports around 50 percent of production, i.e. 112.28 lakh tonnes were available for consumption. This works out to 303 g per head per day. But consumption of West Bengal is only 125 g (50th National Sample Survey Bulletin No. 402). One consequence of this trend is the high pressure on food grains. It is difficult to cope up with the rising demand of the food grains but the pressure can be offloaded by supplementing with vegetables. This approach is also crucial for ensuring nutritional security and addressing the endemic problem of malnutrition. Since the pressure on land is high and scope for area expansion is limited as in the case of food crops, the emphasis should be more on vertical integration through productivity enhancement

measures.

5.2  Projected requirement of fruits and vegetables in West Bengal

With rapid urbanization, the demand for fruits and vegetables especially in sorted graded and value added form is reflecting an increasing trend. Similar trend is also observed for exotic and specialty fruits and vegetables like organic and RTS products. Keeping in view the expected population growth, the requirements of fruits and vegetables in the State have been worked out. The data suggest a widening gap between consumption needs and likely production highlighting the opportunities available for increased production, which inter alia calls for an integrated approach including convergence of various development programmes under implementation.

5.3  National Horticulture Mission

Consequent upon announcement of National Horticulture Mission (NHM), the GoWB has prepared a comprehensive  Horticulture Mission Document (SHMD) which serve as the basis for an integrated development of horticulture in the State. NHM is a centrally sponsored scheme with 100% GoI assistance during Tenth Plan and at 85% and 15% assistance from GoI and State Govt., respectively during Eleventh Plan. The West Bengal Horticulture Development Society has been constituted as State level project implementing agency with District Horticulture Development Societies. Taking into account the potentials available, 14 districts have been identified as Focus districts for development. Four districts namely, Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur, Bardhaman and Howrah are categorized as non-NHM districts.

5.4  Agri Export Zones

In the context of favourable agro-climate, predominance of fruit and vegetable production in the  State and considering the logistical advantages, especially easy access to bordering countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, South East Asian countries and Asia-Pacific region for exports, five Agri Export Zones (AEZ) have been set up in the State jointly by APEDA and the Government exclusively under fruit and vegetable sectors.

5.5  Programmes of National Horticulture Board

National Horticulture Board is implementing several schemes with primary objective of encouraging adoption of improved production technologies by horticulture growers. Under the programme subsidy assistance is provided to the farmers availing bank credit for taking up scientific horticulture production. The broad areas of covered under the scheme include:

·         High density planting of fruit tree crops

·         Intensive vegetable farming under controlled conditions (greenhouses)

·         Adoption of precision farming technologies including drip/ fertigation systems

·         Commercial floriculture units for cut flower production

·         Strengthening of post harvest handling infrastructure including sorting, grading, packing and integrated cold chain components

6   Food processing

The agro and food processing industries sector is one of the largest in terms of production, consumption, export and growth prospects. This sector ranks fifth in the country in size, employs over 1.6 million workers (20% of the nation’s labour force) and accounts for 15.19% of total industry output with 5.5% of the GDP. India’s growing domestic demand for value added processed foods and its self-sufficiency in supply is the contributing factors for the growth of this sector. It is estimated that the Food Processing Industry in India will attract phenomenal investment - capital, human, technological and financial- of over Rs. 1,40,000 crore in the next decade. The State of West Bengal is a significant producer of many horticulture and agriculture produce. The State has achieved significant growth in agriculture production over the past decade (CAGR of 4.5% during 1996-2001). The State accounts for nearly 20% rice, 28% potato & 27% pineapple out of the national production. While there has been a spectacular rise in food grains production over the years, only 1% of the total production is utilized for processing and the post-harvest loss accounts for nearly 30%. The State has attained self-sufficiency in food production with reasonable amount of marketable surplus for most of the key crops and fast emerging as the “Food Bowl” of the country. The wide raw material base and market give the State a natural advantage to invest in Fruit and Vegetable Processing, Spices and Grain Processing Industries. The Eastern & Northeastern regions have an easy access to bordering countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Asia-Pacific region for exports. West Bengal has also the advantage in floriculture because of conducive agro-climatic condition. The potential for investment in food processing sector in the State of West Bengal has been assessed at Rs.15451 crore (over next 10 years period) and the State has been ranked as third best potential  after Maharastra and Tamil Nadu for investment in the sector.

6.1  Potential sectors for investment

6.1.1  Food grain processing

The  State being the largest producer of rice offers scope for investing especially in

ü  Rice milling units including modernization of rice mills

ü  Processing of rice which includes products like pre and parboiled rice, rice powder, puffed rice, rice flakes (Indian dried & flattened rice) and rice crisps 

ü  Solvent extraction units for production of rice bran oil. The  State also has significant presence in the oilseed sector indicating the scope of investment in oilseed processing.

6.1.2  Fruit & Vegetable processing

West Bengal with diverse agro-climatic condition is conducive for growing a wide variety of horticultural crops. Amongst the fruit crops, mango occupies the highest area (42% of area under fruits). The other important fruit crops are Pineapple, Banana, Papaya, Guava, Mandarin, Orange, Jack fruit, Litchi, etc. The total area under fruit crops in the  State is 1.942 lakh ha with a production of 27.67 lakh MT (2007-08). The  State is among the largest producers of vegetables in the country producing traditional vegetables like brinjal, tomato, cabbage, cauliflower, cucurbits and lady’s finger, and non-traditional vegetables like broccoli, gherkin, baby corn, Brussels sprout, celery, etc. The total area under vegetables (excluding potato) is 9.124 lakh ha with annual production of 125.56 lakh MT (2007-08). Despite having a wide raw material base, a majority of fruits and vegetables produced in the  State are being marketed fresh.

Seasonal gluts and consequent price fall are the common marketing problems being encountered in the State as is the case elsewhere in the country. However, considering the comparative advantage that the State offers in terms of production of fruits and vegetables, initial efforts for processing has gone for a few crops such as pineapple and potato.

Availability of different fruits and vegetables in different production periods make the State a potential area especially for setting up multi-product based fruit and vegetable processing industry for ensuring better capacity utilization during a major part of the year. Despite having a wide raw material base, a majority of fruits and vegetables are sold in fresh/ raw form. Seasonal gluts and consequent price fall are the common marketing problems being encountered. Some of the potential products which have good domestic and export demand at present and can be produced in the State includes:

Ø  Frozen/ Dehydrated fruits and vegetables

Ø  Jams, Jellies, Juices, Squashes

Ø  Potato Granules/ Flakes/ Fries/ Chips/ Dehydrated potato cubes/ Slices

Ø  Processed Mushroom

7  Development of rural industries

Development of Rural Industries, i.e. both agro-based and non-farm industries have an important role in development of the State. Rural industries include Micro and Small Industries, Khadi and Village Industries, Handicrafts and Handloom & Textile industries. Around 80% of Small and Medium (SMEs) industries fall under Rural Industries segment. The employment generated in this sector is highest after Agriculture. The growth in employment generation of rural based small scale & cottage industries is much more than in large and medium scale sector. Considering the acute unemployment problem, within the youths of landless labour and small & marginal families, growth of rural industries is the appropriate intervention forum to create employment opportunities, as the cultivated land is limited.

Rural non-farm sector accounts for 22% of rural employment. Nearly 60% of industrial output in

the State is from the cottage & small scale industries sector, which accounts for 50% of the State’s overall exports. The employment scenario of the sector is as under:

·         Micro & Small enterprise : 30.67 lakhs / 11.81 lakhs

·         Khadi & Village Industries : 2.57 lakhs

·         Handicraft sector : 5.50 lakhs

·         Handloom & Textile sector : 3.35 lakhs

Priority areas should be:

·         Development of SHGs for the micro units of village industries (specially for handicrafts /

food processing industries)

·         Strengthening linkages for institutional credit facilities for micro & small enterprises

·         Intensification of small industries cluster development program

·         Development of infrastructure through Private – Public Partnership.

8  Agricultural productivity: impacts of land reforms

There are various scholars who have contributed different ideas, methods and techniques to measure the agricultural productivity (Khan et al.). Swaminathan (2009) expressed that agriculture is not just a food providing machine but the backbone of the livelihood of sixty percent of people of India. Peter Timmer (1988) argued that the growth in agricultural productivity is central to development. Agriculture is the largest sector of the nation which provides about one-fourth GDP, gives livelihood to more than sixty percent of population and employs nearly 69 percent of the total workforce (Ranganathan, 2003). Thus, the development of agriculture sector can serve up as a catalyst for rapid growth of whole economy (Maity and Chatterjee, 2006).

According to Hanstad and Brown (2001) providing the poor with access to land is not anti-growth. International evidence overwhelmingly endorses a rural growth strategy based on the dynamism of small, family farms. Contrary to much conventional wisdom, this means increasing the share of farmland operated in small units, which are demonstrably more poverty-reducing than large holdings and are typically more productive per unit area. Based upon these constitutional principles, in the three decades following Independence, most States enacted land reform laws: (1) placing a ceiling on land holdings and redistributing the surplus, and/or (2) regulating tenancy arrangements. Most of these laws were considered to be largely ineffective in achieving their desired intentions of transferring land “to the tiller” and elevating the economic position of tenants.

The land reform laws adopted and implemented in West Bengal are an exception to the general lack of land reform progress in India. Although West Bengal comprises only 3.3% of India’s arable land, it accounts for 20% of all ceiling-surplus land redistributed in India and 46% of all recipients of above-ceiling land in India. West Bengal’s tenancy reform, commonly known as Operation Barga, is often cited as the most extensive and effective tenancy reform in India.

In the decades since Independence, West Bengal’s land reform progress can be described as occurring in three phases. The first phase (1953-1966) saw the adoption of the basic legislation, little progress in above-ceiling redistribution, and virtually no progress (in fact a deterioration) in protecting bargadars (sharecroppers). In the second phase (1967-1976) West Bengal made most of the overall achievements in above-ceiling redistribution, and made little progress in protecting the rights of bargadars. In the third phase (1977-present) tremendous progress was made in recording and protecting the rights of bargadars, and the redistribution of above-ceiling land continued, but at a slower pace. The West Bengal Land Reforms Act is the key piece of legislation addressing land reform and land rights in West Bengal. The Act covers a range of land-related topics, but most significantly it: (1) defines the rights and obligations of landowners and bargadars; (2) prohibits fixed rate leasing of land; (3) places a ceiling on the size of landholdings; (4) defines how land taken by the government should be distributed; and (5) limits the transferability of land held by Scheduled Tribe members as well as much of the land obtained through redistribution.

Mr. Asok Gupta, former Chief Secretary to Govt. of WB stated that according to the World Bank, between 1977-78 and 1993-94, poverty in West Bengal declined by 4.2% per annum, the sharpest decline among the States in India. In 1999-2000 according to an independent estimate, rural poverty (i.e. percentage of persons below the poverty line) was 22.7% and urban poverty was 11.4%. The annual rate of growth in per capita income at constant prices increased from 1.78% in the period 1980-81 to 1986-87 to 3.05% in the 1987-88 to 1993-94 period.  In the period 1993-94 to 2001-02, per capita income in the State increased by 5.1% per annum, the highest among the developed States in India. In contrast to other States, the moving force of agricultural change and of the dynamism of the rural economy in the State of WB 1980s and 1990s were thus (Ramachandran et al.) the small cultivators. Agricultural growth in West Bengal was made possible because of the removal, by means of land reform and the establishment of panchayati raj, of institutional fetters to growth. It has been pointed out by Dr. Abhijit Sen, the noted Economist and the Member, Planning Commission that “the West Bengal example, where value added has grown faster than gross output, contrary to the trends elsewhere, suggests that greater efficiency in input use is possible through reform and devolution". He once commented in 1992 that "West Bengal, with a growth rate of over 7 percent per annum in agricultural value added -- more than two-and-a-half times the national average -- can be described as the agricultural success story of the eighties".

Effort was made to evaluate the effect of agricultural tenancy laws offering security of tenure to tenants and regulating the share of output that is paid as rent on farm productivity (Banerjee et al., 2002). Theoretically, the net impact of tenancy reform is shown to be a combination of two effects: a bargaining power effect and a security of tenure effect. Analysis of evidence on how contracts and productivity changed after a tenancy reform program was implemented in the Indian State of West Bengal in the late 1970s suggests that tenancy reform had a positive effect on agricultural productivity there.

Revisit was made at a much later stage by Bardhan and Mookherjee (2007) to evaluate the classical question of productivity implications of sharecropping tenancy, in the context of tenancy reforms in West Bengal, studied previously by Banerjee et al. (2002). They utilized a disaggregated farm panel, controlling for other land reforms, agriculture input supply services, infrastructure spending of local governments, and potential endogeneity of land reform implementation. They continued to find significant positive effects of lagged village tenancy registration rates. But the direct effects on tenant farms are overshadowed by spillover effects on non-tenant farms. The effects of tenancy reform are also dominated by those of input supply programs and irrigation expenditures of local governments. These results indicated that the effects of the tenancy reform cannot be interpreted as reduction of Marshall-Mill sharecropping distortions alone; village-wide impacts of land reforms and agricultural input supply programs administered by local governments deserve greater attention. They further summarized that the effects of Operation Barga on rice yields and farm value added per acre were somewhat smaller in magnitude compared with Banerjee et al. (2002), using data from an independent source at a disaggregated farm level, with controls for endogeneity of program implementation and other concurrent panchayat programs.

9  Regional variation in agricultural productivity and crop diversification

9.1  Regional variability

The spatial patterns of agricultural productivity, levels of development and their causal relationship perceptibly point out that there is a wide range of variations among the districts of the study area (Khan et al.). The geographical patterns of agricultural productivity are characterized by high level in south-western and northern parts of the State. However, the composite mean z-score values of developmental indicators point out that the level of development is high among the southern districts in comparison to northern and eastern fringe districts of the State of West Bengal. The analysis of relationship between agricultural productivity and levels of development indicates that there are wide geographical disparities in the State in respect of these two aspects. In another study (Ghosh, 2010) also it was found that the crop production variability changes significantly across the districts and, in general, the higher growth path is associated with the higher degree of variability. Therefore, it was suggested by Khan et al. to evolve such strategies that the horizontal disparities and vertical inequalities may be minimized in respect of agricultural growth and levels of socio-economic development. However, for sustainable agrarian development, the methods and techniques of agriculture should have to be adopted after considering the ecological constraints in a region. Such horizontal disparities in production level have also to be accounted for another aspect of planning, i.e. crop diversification in order to meet the requirement for food basket of the State, the basis of which is described below.

9.2  Crop diversification

According to Ramachandran et al. one of the objectivities of the State is to improve yields in rice production, and also releasing a significant proportion of rice cropped area in the State for diversification, in particular, for oilseeds, pulses, fruit, vegetables & flowers, and other non-food crops. According to the official population projections of the Census of India, the population of West Bengal will be around 89.78 million in 2011 (Census of India). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the per capita physiological requirement of cereals is 396 g per day or 144 kg per annum. This, in turn, requires 490 g of production per day (to allow for waste, seed, and feed requirements) or 178 kg per annum. Thus, a population of 90 million would require 15.98 or 16 million tonnes of cereals. They postulated four alternative prospects (or scenarios) for crop diversification – or, more specifically, for the release of land for non-cereal production – in 2011. In each case below, the  State meets the rice production of 16 million tonnes, which is, as discussed, the cereal requirement of the projected population in 2011.

1.      If 1.25 million hectares of land on which rice is now grown were to be released for non-cereal production in 2011, an average yield of 3.61 tonnes per hectare is required to maintain food security. Rice yields must grow at 6.82 percent per annum to achieve this yield.

2.      If one million hectare of land on which rice is now grown was to be released for non-cereal production in 2011, an average yield of 3.41 tonnes per hectare is required to maintain food security. Rice yields must grow at 5.65 percent per annum to achieve this yield.

3.      If 500,000 hectares of land on which rice is now grown were to be released for non-cereal production in 2011, an average yield of 3.08 tonnes per hectare is required to maintain food security. Rice yields must grow at 3.53 percent per annum to achieve this yield.

4.      If only 250,000 hectares of land on which rice is now grown were to be released for non-cereal production in 2011, an average yield of 2.94 tonnes per hectare is required to maintain food security. Rice yields must grow at 2.56 percent per annum to achieve this yield.

Two major conclusions emerged. First, the required yield levels are well within the capabilities of regular green revolution technology. Such yields have been achieved regularly in leading rice growing regions of the State in the past, and within the yield levels established through recent field trials. Secondly, in order to achieve the yields necessary to ensure food security and release a significant extent of land for diversification, growth rates of the rice yield in West Bengal must rise well above the record of the 1990s and 2000s. Even to release 250,000 hectares of land from rice production, the required growth rate of rice yields is 2.56 percent per annum, while actual growth rates in the 1990s and 2000s were 1.71 percent and 1.64 percent, respectively. A return to the growth surge of the 1980s, when the rate of growth of rice yields was 5.98 percent per annum, will, of course, permit the release of more than one million hectares for alternative crops by 2011.

They further created alternative district-wise scenarios in which, making certain assumptions based on current performance, one million hectares are released from rice production and an aggregate output of 16.1 million tonnes of rice may be achieved. It was assumed that rice yields of the four districts with highest yield in 2006-07 (Birbhum, Barddhaman, Malda and Hugli) will reach 3.8 tonnes per hectare in 2011-12 (that is, a level equivalent to average yields in Punjab and Karnataka); rice yields in Bankura, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad, Purulia, West Medinipur, East Medinipur and Dakshin Dinajpur will reach 3.5 tonnes per hectare; rice yields in Uttar Dinajpur, South 24 Parganas and Haora will reach 3 million tonnes per hectare; and rice yields in the remaining districts will reach 2.5 million tonnes per hectare. If 10 percent of the total area under rice is released from the four districts with the highest yields, and 20 percent of the area under rice is released from the remaining districts, a total of 1 million hectares of land can be diverted from rice to other crops. The total production of rice will be 16.1million tonnes, an amount sufficient to meet the demand for rice in 2011-12.

10   Agricultural Plan

The Agricultural Plan (SAP) aims at projecting the physical and financial requirements for development of agriculture and allied sector of the State (NABCONS). This plan is going to present the vision for agriculture & allied sectors within the overall development perspective of the State. The major objective of State Agriculture Plan (SAP) is to consolidate and integrate all Comprehensive–District Agriculture Plans (C-DAP). It has also taken into consideration the recommendations of State Agriculture Commission. C-DAPs have been prepared based on participatory action plan for the development of agricultural & allied sectors. While preparing C-DAPs, the planning process have been initiated at grass root level, i.e. at village/ GP level. As  Agriculture Plan (SAP) is the consolidated form of all C-DAPs, an integrated and participatory mode of approach is the key success factor (KSF) of the  Agriculture Plan (SAP).

RKVY as a growth driver is being carried out as State Plan with 100% grant from the Government of India. Areas of focus under the RKVY are: integrated development of major food crops such as wheat, paddy, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, millets, etc.; agriculture mechanization, activities related to soil health, development of rainfed farming systems as also integrated development of watershed areas, wastelands and river valleys; support to  Seed Farms; Integrated Pest Management Schemes; encouraging non-farm activities; strengthening of market infrastructure and marketing development; strengthening of infrastructure to promote extension services; activities relating to enhancement of horticultural production and popularization of micro irrigation schemes; animal husbandry and fishery development activities; special schemes for beneficiaries of land reforms; grant support to the  Government Institutions that promote agriculture/ horticulture; study tour for farmers; organic and biofertilizer and other innovative schemes.

The various growth indicators required for the development of agriculture & allied sectors have been identified based on genuine felt needs of farming community, trend analysis, need assessment, environmental concerns and overall growth perspective of the State. Such growth indicators are presented below (NABCONS).

10.1  Agriculture

·         Diversification and intensification of agriculture as well as improvement of productivity of all the major crops through adoption of newer and sustainable technologies, use of better inputs, adoption of organic farming

·         Creation of irrigation facilities in unirrigated areas especially in western part of the State

·         Diversifying the cropping pattern from rice based cropping system to bringing additional land under cultivation of millets, maize, pulses and oilseeds

·         Emphasis on soil Health Management through soil testing infrastructure and adoption of a time bound strategy for soil survey and soil analysis with specific reference to the micro-nutrients and introduction of Soil Health Cards. Developing location specific and soil status specific INM practices and propagating the same among the farming community

·         Promotion of Integrated Farming System model having food grain, vegetable, flower, fruit plants, medicinal plants along with cattle, duck, goat, fish etc, for maximum return

·         Identification of crop specific seed production zones based on agro climate, soil and water resources availability

·         Emphasizing on decentralized production of TL/certified seeds through “seed village concept” with active involvement of progressive farmers, farmers’ clubs, PACs/societies, SHGs

·         Active involvement of KVKs both in production as well as extending technical support to farmers/other agencies involved in seed production

·         Establishment of centralized seed processing infrastructure at potential blocks/district level

·         Encouraging PPP mode in existing government seed farms for better utilization of resources

·         Adoption of fully organic Bio-seed villages in each block where an integrated approach have to be taken for overall livelihood development

·         Promotion of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technology in the State in general and more specifically in Western part of the State. This can be adopted in other upland condition also and in hilly areas

·         Institutional support through skill up-gradation of extension workers, farmer to farmer extension, public-private partnership, strengthening ATMA, participatory research, credit support, marketing & post-harvest management, risk management, price support system

·         Convergence & synergy between  State and central initiatives, role and accountability in implementing the schemes

·         Improved farmers income (diversification, agricultural marketing, agro-processing and value addition, contract farming)

·         Strengthening of the extension mechanism through both formal and informal channels, introduction of training and visit with assured timely supply of critical inputs at the farmers’ door step

·         Promoting organic farming, large scale production and application of FYM, vermicompost, etc. to improve soil health

·         Promotion of productivity enhancing and environment friendly technology through channel partners like KVKs, NGOs, Farmers Clubs, etc.

·         Increase in seed replacement ratio of various crops (paddy 30%-40%, wheat 100%, mustard 16%, and potato 50%)

·         Formation & strengthening of SHGs and Farmers’ Clubs

·         Crop insurance to all farmers growing different types of crops

10.2  Horticulture

·         Increased land coverage under horticulture crops through micro-irrigation practices

·         Attaining self sufficiency in production of quality planting materials of various horticulture crops, such as vegetables, fruits and tuber crops through the programs of National Horticulture Mission

·         Increased area under floriculture by encouraging cultivation of Marigold, Jasmine, Rose and Tuberose, etc.

·         Development of at least one progeny orchard in each district

·         Farmers in West Bengal continue to depend on other States like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, UP for meeting seed potato requirements. Identifying potential pockets for commercial potato seed production including True Potato Seed (TPS) and strengthening seed production infrastructure are necessary. The location specific seed production technologies need to be developed and standardized. Such initiatives will open avenues for private sector investment in potato seed production

·         Biotechnological interventions in vegetable breeding program particularly in characterization of diversity and tagging of novel genes and using molecular markers and development of resistant varieties

·         To develop at least one model nursery in each district with advanced technologies and modern equipments

·         Encouraging re-plantation of existing old tea gardens for productivity improvement at a suggestive rate of 2%. With a view to encouraging systemic re-plantation, the Tea Board has launched a new subsidy-cum-loan assistance programme under the Special Purpose Tea Fund (SPTF) constituted for the purpose

·         Training in small scale processing to self-help groups and marketing of processed products by creating cooperatives at village level

·         Improved management of waste land and degraded land

·         Augmenting the soil & water conservation of the areas through watershed programs

·         Agriculture extension services to farmers growing fruit bearing plants

·         Initiation of more local research program for improvement of fruits production & productivity

·         Diversification of crops by bringing more area under vegetables. Incentives for farmers in growing vegetables and link them with collective retail facilities in block and district

·         Promotion of tissue culture plants of, citrus, large cardamom, banana, etc. to enhance productivity

·         Introduction of varieties specifically caters to the need of processing varieties

·         Creating reliable information/ database on production, procurement, processing and marketing channels for promotion of medicinal & aromatic plants ( MAPs)

·         Addressing the problem of inadequacies in input supply including plant material, technical/ extension support for MAPs

·         Strengthening the extension network through recruitment of more field functionaries in potential districts. The initial emphasis could be in the focus districts identified under NHM

·         Promote informal extension channels like Farmers’ Clubs, Farmers’ Interest Groups and educated/ progressive youth and training them as technology transfer agents with active involvement of both formal (department) and informal (NGOs, Farmers’ Clubs) extension agencies

·         Innovations like Prani Bandhu scheme, which is a proven success in the development of AH/ Dairy sector to be replicated in Horticulture/ Agriculture sectors as well – like Krishi Bandhu

·         Nursery being a highly viable activity, there exists a very good scope for promotion of private nurseries for production of perennial horticultural crops especially in districts like Malda, Murshidabad. The programme can be dovetailed with the LoI scheme of NHB or NHM in consultation with the Department concerned for the benefit of prospective entrepreneurs

·         Well equipped Soil testing facilities at district and block level for comprehensive soil analysis and introduction of soil health card based Integrated Nutrient Management

·         Establishment of Farmer markets to remove middle men in the vegetable trade

·         Encouraging agro-processing and value addition to agricultural and horticultural products

·         Strengthening of post-harvest handling and marketing mechanisms and infrastructure for storage and timely supply to the markets

·         Investment in developing cold chains and encouraging retail marketing organizations

·         Assessment of credit needs (activity specific and crop specific) and preparation of credit plans and dovetailing the same with the District Credit Plans followed by a Coordinated approach to operationalize the credit plans, necessary

·         The “Producer (farmer) – Consumer markets” (Farmers’ markets) introduced in some States like AP, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were found to be successful and beneficial to both farmers and consumers. The  Government may consider introducing the concept in the  especially in major vegetable producing and consuming centers

·         Being a major producer of vegetables, the Government could consider establishing exclusive auction centers for fruits and vegetables on the lines of “NDDB Model” (Bangalore)

·         Suitable modification of the present Agricultural Produce Market Act to facilitate the private sectors taking initiatives in setting up modern market infrastructure involving high investment, entrepreneurial skills and managerial capacities as well as direct purchase from farmers

11  Agricultural marketing

·         Allowing establishment of private markets by making suitable amendment to APMC Act, in line with the model Act prepared by Govt. of India

·         Encouraging contract farming in the State

·         Establishing cold storages, refrigerated vans for agricultural product marketing both under public and private sector

·         Facilitating SHGs, cooperatives, Farmers Association, Producers Group for organized marketing

·         Establishing market linkages and market networking for the high value products

·         Establishment of Central Zonal Markets (6 nos) with export oriented quality control facility

·         Regulated market with all information related to crop production and animal welfare services

·         Specialized regulated market with training facility on post-harvest technology and informations about prices of different commodity in different market using ICT services

·         Should create provision and identify diversified post-harvest products for marketing through organized retail chain of SHGs, cooperatives 

12  Target, production and productivity

An analysis of the periodical data up to 2011-12 (projected) reflects that the area coverage under rice is expected to increase by 2%, while the productivity is expected to go up by 17% at the end of 11th FYP over that of 2007-  08.  Special thrust needs to be given for cultivation of pulses as the State is deficit in production of pulses. With focused attention, the area coverage under pulses is targeted to be increased by 6%, while the productivity and production are expected to be increased by 21% and 29%, respectively. Diversifying the cropping pattern in the State by bringing additional land under cultivation of oil seeds is also required as like pulses, there is mismatch in the demand-supply in oil seeds. The area is projected to be increased by 8% with commensurate enhancement of the productivity by 21%. Sugarcane is another cash crop needing push. Accordingly, the 50% increase in area is envisaged with increased yield by 7%. Production of potato is expected to increase from 80.18 lakh tones to 118.47 lakh tones by the end of 11th FYP.

13  Principal thrust areas

Ø  Population and population growth rate in coming year in West Bengal is going to put pressure on the available land. Low land: man ratio may hamper the process of development. Population of West Bengal is going to be 9.14 crore at the end of 2011-12 and 10.16 crore at the end of 2019-20 (growth projection @1.33 % compounded annually)

Ø  Nutritional Requirement: Per day requirement of nutrition especially BPL category people is not meeting the requirement. Employment situation is getting worse, food grain consumption and cloth consumption were falling, average calorie intake as well as protein intake showed decline and there was considerable agrarian distress

Ø  Climate Change and its effect on agriculture - Climate change, while taking place at a time of increasing demand for food, feed, fibre and fuel has the potential to irreversibly damage the natural resource base on which agriculture depends and also our entire livelihood. The relationship between climate change and agriculture is a two way process - agriculture contributes to climate change in several ways and climate change in general adversely affects agriculture. Climate change is affecting the distribution of plants, invasive species, pests, and disease vector and the geographic range, at the same time incidence of many human, animal and plant diseases is likely to increase

Ø  Soil health is going to deteriorate first unless urgent attention is paid. At present 25% land (out of net sown area) in West Bengal is falling under degraded quality. Fertility status of the soil is falling very sharply because of injudicious and imbalanced use of chemical inputs in all over the State. Shortage of water for agriculture is on the card and nothing much have been done on rainwater harvesting

Ø  Employment scenario in rural areas - rural employment and more importantly employability of the rural youth has to increase because 60% of State’s population is less than 30 years of age

Ø  Socio–economic condition of the farmers is not satisfactory because of low per capita income and not so developed rural infrastructure. Farmers are required to be associated with value addition process of their produce and claim a more share of the value chain to improve their present socio-economic condition

Ø  Present production and productivity status of different crops and vegetables needs improvement

Ø  Present position of post-harvest technology of crops and value addition is not up to the mark in comparison to any developed country. Only 3% of fruits and vegetables have been processed in our State what should be at least 30%. So there is huge scope for improvement. This will not only boost the economy of the farmers but also will create large employment opportunity for the rural youth through small and medium scale industries in the strategic areas having sufficient production potential of the crops coupled with adequate transport and marketing facility

Ø  Infrastructure development through programs like RIDF, ADMI, etc.

Ø  Ongoing programs of respective departments need an integrated and well coordinated approach among the line departments, otherwise repetition of efforts ends up with wastage of money and energy

14  Extension services

Some of the recent initiatives of the Government of West Bengal are:

Ø  Task Force of Secretaries on West Bengal Agriculture Commission

Ø  Secondary freight subsidy for fertilizer mobility and SWAN connectivity for ADOs

Ø  Extension Services through Jeebika Sahayaks (Livelihood Associates)

Ø  Agriculture related services through NeGP and Agrinet

Ø  Training programme for fertilizer dealers and retailers in association with FAI

Ø  Focus on Agriculture and Allied sectors through ATMA

Based on experience at the grass root level following should be the thrust areas in general, besides location specific issues that need to be clearly sorted out and addressed.

• Linkages among all line departments with KVK and extension centres of institutes are to be strengthened in every aspect.
• Small/ marginal/ women farmers groups in particular are to be given chief focus since they are most vulnerable.
• The Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) approach has created significant impact on yields and incomes of farmers. The various schemes and adequate funds are to be made available to large number of small/ marginal and women farmers. A mechanism is needed to be developed through which these groups of farmers could be kept well informed about the schemes and funds for their benefaction.
• Market-led Extension which would enable the farmer to realize better prices for their farm produce and maximize the farm incomes be promoted.
• Farmer-to-farmer approach needs to be encouraged through Farm schools and Farmer Field Schools. Services of innovative and progressive farmers should be utilized as para professionals at field level.
• Research-Extension-Farmer and Market Linkages demand greater focus.
• Diversified and Integrated farming system approach need to be emphasized with the research and extension agenda determined explicitly by farmers’ needs through an understanding of the existing farming systems.
• Public–Private Partnership needs to be promoted for sharing of resources and convergence. To promote private investment in Agricultural Extension, it is felt essential to provide fiscal incentives.
• Ongoing schemes like ATMA, RKVY, MGNREGS, NFSM, NHM, GMFC, etc. are to be strengthened and up-scaled as well. Moreover, other technology development related schemes like technology missions, AICRPs, NAIPs, etc. are to be designed on farmers’ need base.
• Farmers’ organizations and their federations would be promoted for sustaining the developmental efforts.
• Tribal development programmes need to be taken in frontier areas.
• Village based facilitation and Marketing Center will be promoted for women groups engaged in agribusiness.
• Dedicated media like TV channel, radio station, news papers on agriculture are suggested to focus on location specific problems of farmers.
• Various information and communication technology (ICT) tools like agro-met service, market information, disease/ pest forecasting are to be developed.
• Major sources of farm information in agriculture, like extension scientists of KVK and institutes, input dealers, etc. are to be supported to pursue HRD courses in Agricultural Extension Services. 

15  Concluding remarks

West Bengal agriculture is a story, generally speaking, of one of plenty particularly in terms of natural resources backed with extraordinarily rich heritage and experience of the farming community. All said and even possibly done as per suggestions above might pave the way for at the most meeting production targets and improving the socio-economy of the farmers in short spans. What, I would like to indicate, as possibly not in the focus of the planners so far, are objectivity in defining targets in long term perspectives especially on the following areas (a) making sure agricultural average land holding per capita (with due consideration of increasing population growth with time) for each category of farmers does not decrease below a minimal value over time, (b) assigning sufficient thrust on value addition in agriculture and allied sectors holding significant promise not only to improve farm economy but also the overall economy in the respective areas through large scope for employment generation, (c) roping in small or medium scale entrepreneurs for public-private initiative (with local youths getting highest priority for engagement) for increasing the farm economy through contract farming, farmers-markets linkage (preferably through farmers’ cooperatives getting rid of middlemen as far as possible in phases), processing of food and non-food sector industries. The complacency of being amongst the top few States in certain years in terms of productivity or production in specific areas per se is, to my mind, a serious hindrance to successful and professional planning for the future. I am particularly apprehensive of this, in the wake of WTO regime becoming fully functional in the country shortly, that the farmers of the State, where the farming economy is already moving downslope, are most likely to confront with much stiffer competition with international marketing agencies for which a host of measures needs to be adopted to safeguard the interest of the farmers. The usual role of the government and high level of performance of the farmers notwithstanding, it will be a credible performance if a tough scientific approach is followed considering agriculture and allied sectors offering lucrative proposition as the biggest industry to give a significant fillip to the rural economy and its obvious beneficial impact on social fabric for which the government and private sectors have to go hand in hand.

Finally, Soil Scientists have significant, rigorous and time-bound roles to play, in view of our gaps in understanding in majority of the areas listed below, adoption of which may pave the way towards sustainability in productivity under intensively cultivated areas.

·         Create databank on soil hydro-physical, thermal, and aeration properties along with soil chemical and biological properties for different soils, and also develop practical manual on soil physical and biological properties for uniform application throughout the State.

·         Nutrient (major and micro) dynamics and their interactions with intra- and inter-aggregates pore distributions and clay surface charge density, their impacts on soil biological properties, and finally influence on soil health and, in turn, on crop productivity, with emphasis on soil rhizosphere region.

·         Improve the macro- and micro-nutrient use efficiency; work out nutrient budgeting using radio isotopes, and the critical limits particularly for micronutrients which need to be re-looked especially for acid and alkali soils.

·         Study SOC fractionation in relation to nutrient dynamics and transformation.

·         Factors affecting C-sequestration in soils in different agroecosystems and long-term  monitoring of the same preferably through radiocarbon dating over the past and  suggest effective predictive models with special reference to climate change.

·         Water, carbon and nitrogen footprints and their roles in soil-crop management with special reference to climate change.

·         Standardize technique for collecting rhizosphere soils for studies on water and nutrient dynamics across soil-root interface.

·         Analyse in-depth on deteriorating crop productivity and quality of the produce in relation to soil health, and particularly the roles of P & K and micronutrients, along with consideration to relevant edaphic and climatic factors under different intensively cultivated cropping systems, and suggest remedial measures thereof.

·         Develop predictive models on climate change for soil health assessment on a sustainable basis. 

·         Evaluate role of organic matter, say FYM, to  show structural variation in different components  through spectral analysis, and evaluate their roles on soil health.

·         Delineate areas for micronutrient including heavy metals bringing out clearly deficiencies and toxicities, their uptake by crops and impacts on human and animal health.  

·         Study on soil micronutrients and their fractions, their dynamics, path diagram, and contribution to soil health.    

·         Relate the role of plant physiological functions, especially for Zn, for uptake at different stages of growth, for different crops.   

·         Study the role of micronutrient application and biofortification in relation to human & animal health through uptake by crops. 

·         Study heavy metal contaminations and their release, identify sources, develop maps thereof, and study interactions with intra- and inter-aggregate soil pore distributions and  surface charge density of soil clays.

·         Develop steps for grading municipal solid waste compost for recycling with minimum nutrient content required in composts, the maximum limits of heavy metals for prevention of toxicity/pollution in Indian context, and reuse of STP water for irrigation.

·         Study mechanism for arsenic, fluoride and heavy metal contamination due to pollution and unplanned use of underground water bodies, and biogeochemistry of arsenic in aquatic environment in soil and development of multi-scalar integrated risk management.

·         Study role of nanotechnology to improve micronutrient use efficiency, and the mechanism of absorption of nanoparticles of rock phosphates by crop roots.

·         Develop crop production function for targeted yields for different crops and cropping systems in relation to key soil health parameters identified, in place of the present practice in use of development of discrete linear equations for N, P & K, which may have very little scientific significance, and with due consideration to whether there is need for a ‘starter’ or ‘cut-off’ dose, under different agro-ecologies, and validate the results thereof.

·         Equations should be developed for wider/higher range of targeted yields for different crops and cropping systems, and the same may also be applicable for wide range of soil situations typical of the locale, including stress like rainfed conditions keeping in view of the climate change phenomena.

·          There appears to be a need for the appropriate authority to re-design field layout which may be compatible to develop holistic and robust crop production functions for the purposes indicated above.

·         Study microbial diversities and their characteristics especially for rhizosphere regions of different local and high yielding cultivars (good but again beyond `mining’ or `ferreting out’ useful species which we are already doing – the knowledge per se will have a translational benefits only when combined with breeders/biotechnologist which I don’t foresee will be done in next 5 years given the capacity’. Such research is very easy for me to suggest but difficult to do) and develop consortia of beneficial microbes and if necessary through genetic improvement (well known now-ecological mining is best, GMO’s have poor survival, doubtful benefits, do not pass the research stage due to strict restrictions) in order to improve crop productivity and also impart resilience to stress situations identified, with particular reference to rainfed situations.

·         Develop microbial chips for bioassay/detect environmental pollutants particularly pesticides, metals and NO₃ and E.coli in water. 

·         Work on Rhizobium inoculation of preceding crops may be taken up to improve legume BNF

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