The attractive agricultural package contained in the Union Budget for 1998-99 has come none too soon. The farm sector has long been neglected and deprived of necessary investment. The reforms process too has so far virtually by-passed this sector. A plethora of controls, levies, and marketing and export curbs continue to stifle Indian agriculture. And deceleration in crop production growth is a direct consequence of this apathy.
According to the Economic Survey 1997-98 that preceded the budget, the compound annual growth rate in foodgrains in the nineties (1.73 per cent) has fallen back to the level of the sixties (1.72 per cent) when the green revolution was just taking shape. This compares unfavourably not only with the rate of increase in population but also with the output growth of 3.22 per cent achieved in the fifties when the area under agriculture expanded rapidly. The seventies had witnessed a growth rate of 2.08 per cent, and the eighties saw an even higher rate of 3.54 per cent.
Though in absolute terms the production has risen steadily, with each trough being higher than the previous one, there is still no room for condoning the decline in growth. The cause for this deceleration can be found in the pattern of ups and downs in investment in farm sector. The overall investment (both private and public) displayed an uptrend only for a brief period following the green revolution. The healthy growth rates of the seventies and eighties can broadly be attributed to that. The subsequent decline in investment led to a fall in further growth of production. Private investment, which is influenced to a large extent by the public investment, also followed the same trend, except in the recent years .
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The current year's budget makes a bid to reverse the downtrend in investment in agriculture. However, a one-time dose of fresh investment may not produce immediate results. High budgetary allocations would have to be sustained for a few more years to put the country's agriculture back on a fast growth track. Besides, the curbs on marketing, movement and export of farm goods should be done away with. And futures trading should be allowed in most commodities.
Gardening tips
Prepare a new lawn now, if you have not done it already. This will allow the grass roots to establish firmly in the soil before the onset of the monsoon. In the lawns laid earlier, spray urea (0.2 per cent solution) after the sprouting of the grass to facilitate quicker growth.
During weeding out operations, make sure to dig out the roots so that unwanted vegetation does not spring up again.
If a white powdery dust is observed on the leaves, flower stalks or buds of roses and other plants, it could well be due to powdery mildew disease. Spray Benlate or Bavistin (0.2 per cent solution) or Karathane (0.05 per cent solution) every fortnight.
Bougainvillea plants can now be pruned. Add farm yard manure (8 to 10 kg per bush) after pruning to promote vigorous growth during the rainy season. Boug-ainvillea cuttings can also be planted now.
Kharif (rainy season) vegetables can be planted now. These include amaranthus (Chaulai), Bhindi, bittergourd, bottlegourd, brinjal, cauliflower (for early harvest), chili, cowpea, cucumber, guar, ridge and sponge gourds, tomato etc.