Surplus or shortage: Proactive policies needed to serve farmers' interest

Experts call for a change in the narrative towards more diversified high-value production, better prices for farmers, marketing reforms, eco-friendly cultivation, among other things

The southwest monsoon of 2018 was over nine per cent below average. An additional fall of 1-2 percentage points would have easily classified 2018 as a monsoon-deficient year as per the parameters set by Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Normally, such a huge shortfall in average rainfall should have led to big drop in production. However, the first advanced estimate for 2018-19 projects a different scenario, pegging foodgrain production at almost 142 million tonnes, which will not only be 0.6 per cent more than that in 2017, but could also be a new record.

While subsequent estimates might lower the final output, given