In 6 years before Covid, India's average farm incomes rose 59% and debt 58%

Income varied between farming households disaggregated by size of land holding and between states.

Agricultural households' average monthly income increased by 59% to Rs 10,218 in the six years to 2018-19, per the National Statistical Office's (NSO) Situation Assessment of Agricultural Households and Land and Livestock Holdings of Households in Rural India (SAS) 2019 survey, released on September 10.

The income was calculated after factoring in paid-out costs. When imputed costs--i.e., use of self-owned inputs like machinery and seed stock, owned animals and unpaid family labour--were factored in, the average monthly income of farmers' households in 2018-19 was Rs 8,337, per the SAS 2019 survey.

Further, income varied significantly between farming households disaggregated by