Rapid urbanisation and growth of trade and industries sector have affected agricultural holdings in the national capital which are reducing at a rapid rate, as per the Economic Survey tabled by the government.
The number of operational holdings in Delhi reduced from 25,311 in 2005-06 to 20,497 in 2010-11. The reduction in land holdings in Delhi worked out at 3.80 per cent per annum.
The operational area of Delhi decreased from 37,770.29 hectares in 2005-06 to 29,628.21 hectares in 2010-11. The reduction in operational area during the last two agricultural census in Delhi was worked out at 4.31 per cent per annum.
While the cropped area saw a reduction of 2.7 per cent per annum during the period, the crop intensity which is an index of agriculture development and is directly related to irrigation facilities, was at 148 per cent.
Wheat was the main food crop in Delhi during 2014-15 followed by paddy and jowar.
The survey also pointed out that due to fast urbanisation taking place in rural areas of Delhi, cultivable command data under irrigation is getting reduced day by day.
In Master Plan of 2021 for Delhi, Delhi Development Authority has also proposed complete urbanisation of Delhi. Hence any increase in the command area in future is not possible, the report said.
The returns from traditional agriculture are presently less attractive as compared to the high value of commercial horticulture and other high value added agriculture activities.
Delhi government is therefore encouraging farmers to take up vegetables, floriculture production, mushroom cultivation.
The area under floriculture has been increased from 5,479 hectares in 2005-06 to 6,909 hectares in 2014-15, it said.
Livestock in Delhi also decreased marginally from 3.75 lakh in 2003 to 3.6 lakh in 2012 recording a negative annual growth rate of -0.43 per cent.
The production of milk which was 296 MT in 2002-03 declined to 281.04 MT in 2014-15 indicating a decline of 5.06 per cent mainly due to decline in number of cows and buffaloes as a result of rapid urbanisation in Delhi.
