chapter-3 agriculture and the economy of...
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CHAPTER-3
AGRICULTURE AND THE ECONOMY
OF BIHAR
72
CHAPTER-III
Agriculture and the Economy of Bihar
3.1 Basic Features of the Economy of Bihar:
The state of Bihar was reorganised on November 15, 2000 with 38 districts, 9
divisions, 101 sub-divisions, 533 blocks and 45,098 villages (Census, 2001)1. The
state has heavy pressure on land with population density of 880 per sq. km. (as against
the national average of 324 per sq. km.) because of continuous rise in the population
at a much faster rate than the national average. Bihar is a land locked state situated in
the eastern part of India. It lies mid-way between West Bengal in the east and Uttar
Pradesh in the west. It is bounded by Nepal in the North and Jharkhand in the South.
Bihar had a population of 83.0 million in 2001 which, as per the estimate of
the Central Statistical Organization has reached to 96.4 million in 2010. The state had
a decadal growth rate of 28.43 per cent, the highest among all the states in India. The
total population is growing at the rate of 2.2 per cent per annum against the national
average of 2.1 per cent, with 43.15 and 39.72 million being the male and female
population respectively (Census, 2001). The level of per capita income has drastically
gone down in recent years. The level of urbanization in Bihar is 10.5 per cent as
against the all India average of 27.8 per cent, which reveals the poor performance of
industrialization in Bihar. The trend of urbanization in the state has slowed down
during the decade 1991-2001 as compared to the previous decade of 1981-1991.
After the bifurcation of the state, agriculture has become more important
because all the rich mineral resources have now gone to the state of Jharkhand. The
state is left with plentiful natural resource endowment such as; cultivable land, fertile
soil and abundant water (both surface and sub-surface). Due to this the economy of
Bihar is mainly based on agricultural and allied sectors. Hence, proper economic
development of the Bihar’s economy is not possible without the growth of its
agriculture and allied sectors. The agriculture sector holds the key of the state’s
economy by contributing more than one-fourth (26.51 per cent) to GDP (at 1999
constant price) in 2008-09 (CSO, 2009)2 and providing employment to 81 per cent of
workforce in the state (GoI, 2008)3. It also assumes great importance because near
about 90 per cent of the population of the state living in rural areas are directly or
indirectly depend on agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood. Bihar is the
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third largest producer of vegetables and 7th
largest producer of fruits in the country
(GoI, 2009)4.
Because of its geographical location, Bihar also enjoys high bio-diversity and
farmers here produce large number of crops like foodgrains and cereals along with the
horticulture crops that are fruits, vegetables, spices and flowers, with moderately
improved methods and techniques. Agriculture provides ample of raw materials to the
agro-based industries. The main crops grown in the state are rice (paddy), wheat and
supplementary crops like jowar, bajra, ragi, small millets, pulses, barley, gram, maize,
oilseeds, ground nut, jute, measta, sugarcane, makhana etc.. Besides this a variety of
fruits like; mango, litchi, banana, papaya, guava and vegetables like; cauliflower,
cabbage, tomato, radish, carrot, beat and okra etc. are also grown in the state. Bihar is
the largest producer of honey in the country. Thus, Bihar posses the major agro based
industries which are rice, sugar and edible oil.
Bihar is the third most populous state and 12th
largest state in terms of
geographical area of about 94.2 thousand square kilometers (Census, 2001). It is
divided by river Ganges into two parts i.e., (I) North Bihar with an area of 53.3
thousand sq. kms and (II) South Bihar with an area of 40.9 thousand sq. kms. The
gross cropped area (GCA) in Bihar is 79.57 lakh hectares. However, its net sown area
comprises of 57.25 lakh hectares (GoI, 2008)5. The state has several rivers such as
Ganga, Sone, Bagmati, Kosi, Budhi Gandak, Punpun, etc.. In Bihar 41 per cent of
cultivated area is flood-prone and another forty per cent is drought-prone.
The state of Bihar is endowed with appropriate climatic conditions for the
cultivation of a wide range of crops and trees. Based on soil characteristics, rainfall,
temperature and terrain, three main Agricultural Climatic Zone (Agro-Climatic
Zones) in Bihar have been identified (GoB, 2009)6. These are:
Zone-I: (North Alluvial Plain): It includes the districts of West Champaran, East-
Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani,
Darbhanga, Samastipur, Sheohar, Begusarai and Vaishali. The Zone
receives an annual rainfall of about 1040-1450 mm. The soil is mostly
sandy loam and loam.
Zone-II: (North-East Alluvial Plain): It includes eight districts which are Saharsa,
Purnea, Katihar, Supaul, Khagaria, Madhepura, Kishanganj, and Araria.
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The annual rainfall in this Zone ranges between 1200-1700 mm. The soil is
mostly sandy loam and clay loam.
Zone-III: (South Zone Alluvial Plain): This covers the largest area comprising 17
districts. It is generally divided into two sub-Zones, which are the eastern
and western parts. This Zone receives about 990-1240 mm of annual
rainfall and has a variety of soils-sandy loam, clay loam, loam and clay.
Zone-III (A): (East-South Alluvial Plain): It comprises, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai,
Jamui, Munger, Bhagalpur and Banka.
Zone-III (B): (West-South Alluvial Plain): The districts like Patna, Nalanda, Gaya,
Aurangabad, Nawadah, Jehanabad, Arwal, Bhojpur, Buxar, Rohtas and
Bhabhua are included in this Zone.
Table-1
Important Features of Agro-Climatic Zones of Bihar
Zone
s Districts
Area in (M. Ha)
Soil Ph
Initiatio
n/Cessat
ion of
rainfall
Total
rainfall
(mm)
Temperatu
re (Degree
Celsius) Main Cropping
Systems Total
Area NSA#
Irriga
ted Max Min
Zone-
1
West and East
Champaran, Gopal
ganj, Saran, Siwan,
Sitamarhi,
Muzaffarpur,
Darbhanga,
Vaishali,
Samastipur,
Sheohar,
Madhubani,
Begusarai
3.26 2.15
(65.95)*
0.86
(40.00)
**
Sandy
Loam,
Loam
6.5
-
8.4
12th
June/30th
Sep to
10th Oct
1040-
1450
(1245)
36.6 7.7 Rice-Wheat, Maize-
Wheat, Maize-Arhar,
Maize-Potato-Moong,
Maize-Sweet Potato-
Moong, Maize-Mustard-
Moong, Rice-Potato-
Maize, Rice-Sugarcane
Zone-
2
Purnea, Katihar
Madhepura, Saharsa
Araria, Kishanganj
Supaul, Khagaria,
2.08 1.21
(58.17)
0.24
(19.83)
Sandy
Loam,
Clay
Loam
6.8
-
7.8
7th
June/30th
Sep to
10th Oct
1200-
1700
(1450)
33.8 8.8 Jute-Rice, Jute-Wheat, Jute-
Rice-Wheat, Jute-Rice-
Wheat, Jute-Potato, Jute-
Khalai-Wheat, Jute-Rice-
Wheat, Jute-Potato, Jute-
Khalai-Wheat,
Jute-Mustard, Jute-Pea,
Rice-Wheat-Moong
Zone-
3 (A)
Banka, Munger,
Jamui
Lakhisarai,
Shekhpura
Bhagalpur
1.11 0.49
(44.14)
0.21
(42.86)
Sandy
Loam,
Clay
Loam,
Loam,
Clay
6.8
-
8.0
15th
June/30th
Sep to
10th Oct
990-
1240
(1115)
37.1 7.8 Rice-Wheat, Rice-Wheat-
Moong, Rice-Gram-Rice,
Rice-Potato-Onion, Rice-
Rai-Moong, Rice-Bar seem,
Rice-Wheat-Moong, Rice-
Wheat,
Rice-Gram-Rice, Rice-
Gram-Moong Rice-Gram-
Moong, Rice-Wheat
Zone-
3 (B)
Patna, Gaya,
Jahanabad
Nawada, Nalanda,
Rohatas, Bhojpur,
Aurangabad, Buxar,
Kaimur, Arwal
2.92 1.68
(57.53)
1.37
(81.15)
10th June/
30th Sep
to 10th Oct
Total Bihar 9.37 5.53
(59.02)
2.68
(48.46)
Source: Data based on compiled from ministry of agriculture, Government of Bihar
Note: * Figures in parenthesis are % to geographical area. ** Figures in parenthesis are % to net area sown. # NSA: Net sown Area.
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From Table-1, it can be observed that each Zone has its unique agricultural
characteristics due to differential climatic factor leading to wide range of socio-
economic diversities. Agriculture is the main occupation of the state and because of
this state is predominantly rural since 89.50 per cent of the population is living in
rural areas for their livelihood against 74.30 per cent for the country as a whole.
Among the Indian states as well as eastern states literacy rate for males and females in
Bihar is at the bottom. The literate people in the state accounted for 47.53 per cent of
the total population, with 59.68 per cent and 33.12 per cent being the male and female
respectively (Census, 2001; GoB, 20037). The recent 61
st NSSO round reveals that
with regard to both total number of poor, Bihar stands the second in the country. As
much as 41.4 per cent of the population is still living below poverty line in the state,
as compared to only 27.5 per cent at all-India level (GoI, 2009)8.
Figure-1
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Map of Bihar
Source: www.krishi.bih.nic.in
Considering the aspects of socio-economic development, the state is the
poorest in every aspect and by all the means of socio-economic indicators (Table-
2). The terms of economic stagnation that best symbolises the state are the
poverty, migration and illiteracy, which is higher as compared to the national
standard. Consequently, the large group of landless labour in rural areas of the
state migrates to Punjab in the sowing and harvesting seasons for their livelihood.
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On the other hand, the skilled, semi skilled and unskilled workers and lot of
artisans migrate and set around the sites of construction in big cities in Nepal,
Delhi, Mumbai and even in some parts of U. P.
Table-2
Basic Features of the Economy of Bihar
Description Bihar India
Total Geographical Area, (Sq. Kms.) Census, 2001 94163 3287240
Population Density (2001) 880 324
Sex Ratio (Number of Female Per Thousand of Male) (2001) 921 933
Decadal Growth of Population (1991-2001) 28.4 21.3
Total Population in Millions (2001) 83.0 1028.7
Total Rural Population (in Millions) (2001) 74.3 742.5
Total Urban Population (in Millions) (2001) 8.7 286.1
Total Male Population (2001) 43.2 532.2
Total Female Population (2001) 39.8 496.5
Percentage of Urban Population (2001) 10.5 27.8
Percentage of Rural Population (2001) 89.5 72.2
Total Literacy Rate (2001) 47.5 64.8
Total Rural Literacy Rate (2001) 43.9 58.7
Total Urban Literacy Rate (2001) 71.9 79.9
Total Male Literacy Rate (2001) 33.1 53.7
Total Female Literacy Rate (2001) 33.1 53.7
Rural Female Literacy Rate (2001) 29.6 46.1
Total Poverty Ratio (NSSO-61st Round, 2004-05) 41.4 27.5
Total Rural Poverty Ratio (2004-05) 42.1 28.3
Agriculture Worker as Percentage of Total (Main + Marginal Worker) (2001) 74.6 58.4
Agriculture Worker as Percentage of Total Rural Worker (2001) 81.3 73.3
Work Participation Rate (2001) 33.9 39.3
Source: Census of India, 1991& 2001 and NSSO, Government of India, New Delhi.
The state is also frequently affected by the two sets of natural disasters like;
flood and drought. Near about 56.5 per cent of flood affected people in India live in
Bihar. Occurrence of the two consecutive natural disasters in form of tough drought
and severe flood brought setback to agriculture. Thus, because of the devastating
flood in the northern Bihar there has been immense loss in agricultural production.
In 2007, the entire north Bihar was hit by the severe flood; consequently, the loss of
cropped area was 16.63 lakh hectares in the state of Bihar (GoB, 2008)9.
Agriculture is the backbone of the economy of Bihar. In spite of
developments in this sector the backwardness in Bihar still persists, because of
which agricultural productivity in Bihar is very low. Performance of agriculture
sector in the state is very poor which is due to lack of the agricultural inputs and
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other bottlenecks like consumption of fertilizers, pesticides, high yielding verities of
seeds, capital formation, agricultural credit and storage and marketing facilities as
well as non-performance of entire service delivery system and inadequate research
including extension facilities. The performance of agriculture in the state can be
improved through widespread of irrigation facilities and accessibility of package of
technological inputs complemented by support services and facilities. However, in
Bihar, gross irrigated area (GIA), gross cropped area (GCA), fertilizers consumption
and agricultural credits are unsatisfactory. Notwithstanding, the farmers of Bihar
have the entrepreneurship to modernize agriculture through the horticulture and
allied activities if proper incentives and services are provided to the farming
community of the state. But the state suffers from very poor investment (public and
private) in agriculture, as compared to the other states as well as major eastern states
of the country. Consequently, the agriculture in Bihar has low productivity with
lower cropping intensity among the major eastern states of India.
3.2 Nature and Importance of Agriculture in Bihar:
Bihar is one of the major eastern state of India. It is one of the poorest state
of India. Agriculture and allied sectors are the backbone of the Bihar economy.
Most of the population of Bihar is dependent on agriculture. In Bihar 74.57 per
cent of workers (agriculture + non-agriculture) are engaged in agriculture and only
25.43 per cent are non-agricultural workers. Hence, a sustained agricultural growth
in Bihar will have a positive impact on the condition of the workers and could help
in alleviation of poverty since majority of the people living below poverty line in
Bihar are agricultural labourers. Unfortunately, the performance of agriculture
sector in Bihar has been constantly poor by national standard. It has not been able
to exploit its potential of agricultural growth and its resources remained untapped
due to poor planning and agricultural policies. Bihar lags behind in agricultural
performance in comparison to other states in India because of its traditional
cropping patterns and poor incentives.
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(I) Growth and Pattern of Major Agriculture Crops:
In Bihar area allocation among various crops has shown a measure of
structural rigidity that reflects the traditional character of the state agriculture, the
gross and net sown area in the state is estimated at 79.57 and 57.25 lakh hectares
respectively with the cropping intensity of 1.38 per cent (GoI, 2008)10
; whereas
foodgrains has remained predominant since the early 1950s. This also reflects the
impact of the widespread demand structure of food crops such as paddy, maize, bajra,
jowar, barley, wheat, ragi, gram and arhar which are cultivated in Bihar. However,
within the foodgrains sector, substantial changes have taken place. The present
chapter attempts to analyze the growth and pattern in area, production and yield of
foodgrains vis-à-vis non-foodgrain crops in Bihar over the period from 1990-91 to
2007-08 along with the agro-climatic Zones of Bihar for the period from 1999-00 to
2006.
(a) Classification of Agricultural Crops:
The diversity of climatic, soil and topographical conditions along with
adequate water resources and fertile soil allows Bihar for cultivation of all varieties of
crops in different regions of the state.
i. Foodgrains: These include cereals (like rice, wheat, maize) coarse cereals
(like maize, barley, bajra, jowar, ragi, small millets) and pulses.
These crops constitute the backbone of the Bihar’s food
economy. Among these crops rice is the most important food
crops followed by wheat.
ii. Oilseeds: These include oilseeds, seasamum, rapeseeds, mustard, line seeds
and groundnuts. Among these crops; ground nuts, mustard, rape
seeds occupy the dominant place in terms of the production in
Bihar.
iii. Commercial Crops: Sugarcane, jute, measta are the chief commercial crops.
iv. Horticultural Crops: Among the eastern states, Bihar with its wide
variability of climate and soil as well as abundance of water
leads to a large range of horticultural crops such as; fruits,
vegetables, spices etc..
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(b) Change in Cropping Pattern:
Cropping pattern is basically determined by physical, biological and socio-
economical factors in a cropping year and causing due to a spatio-temporal
arrangement of crops. Cropping pattern is the reflection of the family needs and the
market demands in an area with the viewpoint of wheat has been the most profitable
in the past. The needs and opportunities changes over time with change in technology,
market demand and degree of openness of the economy. Cropping pattern being
practiced by farmers depends on the quality of land, irrigation facilities, and other
agro-climatic and socio-economic conditions of the area. Expansion in cultivable area
is the determinant of growth in the production of foodgrains. Hence, both the
cultivable area and production of foodgrains show increasing trends during pre-
bifurcation period i.e. 1990-91 to 1999-2000. In terms of annual growth rate, both in
area and production of foodgrains declined significantly. It is evident that there is no
scope for further increase in the cultivable area under foodgrains. Thus, increasing the
yield and cropping intensity are the best options for accelerating the growth of
agricultural production in the state.
Conversely, growth in the irrigation intensity under foodgrains production has
also been sluggish after the bifurcation of the state as compared to the undivided
Bihar. The negligible growth in the irrigated area under foodgrains has limited the
possibility of cropping intensity in Bihar. It can be observed from the Table-3, that
changes in cropping pattern between 1990-91 to 1999-2000 (Period-I) and 2000-01 to
2007-08 (Period-II) indicate shift from foodgrains to non-foodgrains, especially from
inferior staples like coarse cereals to high value crops like fruits and vegetables,
pulses and oilseeds.
It can be seen from the Table-3 that the CAGR of area under foodgrains has
significantly decreased from 3.14 per cent per annum in pre-bifurcation period to 2.70
per cent per annum in post-bifurcation period due to decrease in area under almost all
cereals, coarse cereals and pulses during the same period. On the other hand, the area
under non-foodgrains registered miserable growth; it increased from 1.03 per cent per
annum to 1.11 per cent per annum during the pre and post-bifurcation period
respectively. This is because of the decrease in the area under oilseeds, jute, measta,
fruits, sugarcane and jute. Moreover, it is important to highlight that the area under
foodgrains still occupies more than 86 per cent of total cropped area due to the
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traditional cropping pattern as well as traditional food habits. The area under non-
foodgrains increased since 1991 and occupies 13.7 per cent of the total area under
total major crops in the state during 2007-08.
The crop-wise analysis of the data (Appendix-1) reveals that among the cereal
crops, rice is one of the most widely cultivated crop in Bihar. However, the area under
rice is constantly declining over the period but stood first in all the three comparative
years at 3684 thousand hectares (Tha) in 1991-92, 3657 Tha and 3573 Tha in 2001
and 2007-08 respectively. However, area under wheat shows ever-increasing trends
and holds the second foremost growing crops in all the comparative years in Bihar.
Thus, the area under wheat grew up by 1925 Tha to 2067 Tha and further to 2163 Tha
during the same period. Alternatively, the area under coarse cereals, oilseeds and
pulses demonstrate a declining trend in the year 2007-08 as compared to 2000-01.
Table-3
CAGR (Based on Dummy Technique) of Area, Production and Yield of Major
Crops of Bihar (1991-92 to 2007-08)
Region Crops
Year CAGR
1991-
92
2000-
01
2007-
08 Pre Post Over-all
Area
(In‘000 Hectare)
Foodgrains 7408
(84.5)
9883.2
(87.5)
9876
(86.3)
3.14** 2.70* 2.57*
Non-
Foodgrains
1359.5
(15.5)
1410
(12.5)
1570.8
(13.7)
1.03*** 1.11* 1.13*
Production
(In‘000 MT)
Foodgrains 9192
(31.4)
12066
(38.9)
11770
(34.0)
6.46* 1.65*** 0.27
Non-
Foodgrains
20107
(68.6)
18969
(61.1)
22797
(66.0)
-1.74 -0.53 -0.17
Yield
(Kg/Hectare)
Foodgrains 1241
(7.7)
1221
(8.3)
1192
(7.6)
3.22** -1.02 -2.24**
Non-
Foodgrains
14790
(92.3)
13453
(91.7)
14513
(92.4)
-2.74*** -1.62** -1.28***
Source: Based on Data Compiled and Computed from Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of Bihar, Indiastat.com, CMIE, Agriculture, various issues.
Figure in parenthesis is percentages share of total area, production and yield of foodgrains and non-foodgrains Note: For Calculation, See Appendix-2 (A, B and C). Where: *, ** and *** are the 1 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent level of significance respectively.
# CAGR percent: Pre-Bifurcation period from 1991-92 to 1999-00 and Post-Bifurcation period: 2000-01 to 2007-08.
Note:
1. Figure in parenthesis are the percentages share of area, production and Yield of foodgrains and non-foodgrains to the total agriculture (selected major crops),
2. Foodgrains include: total cereals, total coarse cereals and pulses, and Non-foodgrains comprises rapeseeds and mustard, linseeds, groundnuts, jute, measta, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables. While, area in thousand hectares (Tha), Production in thousands metric tonnes (TMT) and Yield TMT/Tha.
3. Missing data of area and Production has been interpolated and extrapolated as per the nature of the data for crops like: Small Millets for the year, 1991-92, seasamum by Y= a+bt formula, while; Area and Production of vegetables has been interpolated for the year 1993-94 and 1994-95 and computed by Y =
a+bt+ct2 formula, and further more small millets for the year 1993-94, 1995-96, 1997-98 and 2000-01
and gram for 1999-2000, Measta for 1992-93, 1993-94 has been interpolated by Yt = Yo (1+r)t.
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Though in terms of gross cropped area under horticulture i.e. vegetables holds
the third and fruits holds the sixth widely cultivated crops in Bihar during 2007-08.
The area under vegetables increased drastically from 577 Tha in 1991-92 to 708 Tha
in 2000-01 and further to 824 Tha in 2007-08. While the area under fruits shows a
miserable increasing trends but still cleave to the stagnant position during the same
period. Thus, area under fruits grew up from 267 Tha to 268 Tha and further to 286
Tha during the same period. Similarly area under total commercial crops only two
crops namely; groundnuts and sugarcane has shown remarkable increase during 2007-
08 as against the earlier period 2000-01 (Appendix-1).
Finally, it can be observed from the data that Bihar has, to some extent,
diversified in favour of horticulture and commercial crops during the over-all period
(1991-92 to 2007-08). Despite, this has mainly concentrated in staple foods as well as
traditional crops like rice and coarse cereals i.e. maize and jowar during the same
period. On the other hand, change in cropping pattern in the state between pre and
post-bifurcation period indicates significant shift from foodgrains to non-foodgrains
like fruits and vegetables, fibres, etc., especially from coarse cereals (jowar, barley,
ragi and small millets) and pulses to groundnuts, sugarcane, fibers and vegetables.
Hence it can be said that Bihar has diversified infavour of horticulture and
commercial crops, by registering a compound annual growth rate of 1.11 per cent
which is significance at 1 per cent level of significance in the post-bifurcation period
(Table-3). The estimated p-value given in Appendix-2(C) & Appendix-1 revealed that
the cultivation area has shifted from traditional crops to horticulture and commercial
crops significantly in the post-bifurcation as compared to pre-bifurcation period in
Bihar. Apart from this, the SID value also supports, the diversification hypothesis in
favour of highly commercialized crops/commodities (i.e., horticulture, fibres, spices,
oilseeds and livestock) in Bihar. This is clear from the fact that calculated Simpson
Index Diversification (SID) has increased from 0.867 in 1990-91 to 0.936 in 2000-01
which further increased to 0.972 in 2005-06 (Table-16, Chapter-4). Thus, the third
hypothesis that cultivation area has not shifted from traditional crops to horticultural
and commercial crops in Bihar is rejected.
(c) Trend in Crop Production:
The trend analysis of production of major agricultural crops suggests that the
pre-bifurcation period shows higher increase in foodgrains production as compared to
the post-bifurcation period (Table-3). Among the major crops, production of the
foodgrains stood first in 2001, while in rest of the comparative years i.e. earlier (1991-
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92) and the later year (2007-08), hold the second position. Data reveals that the
production of foodgrains is seen to be increasing over the first period in Bihar from
9192 thousand metric tonnes (TMT) in 1991-92 to 12066 TMT in 2000-01, while it
has declined by 11770 TMT in 2007-08. It is noteworthy that fall in production of
foodgrains was accompanied by a fall in their acreage in 2007-08 in comparison to
2000-01. Alternatively, the production of non-foodgrains is seen to be decreasing over
the first period from 20107 TMT in 1991-92 to 18969 TMT in 2000-01, but in the
next period it showed a higher production of 22797 TMT in 2007-08. Statistics further
demonstrate that the annual growth rate in production of foodgrains showed sharp
decline from 6.46 per cent per annum in pre-bifurcation period to 1.65 per cent per
annum in the post-bifurcation period of Bihar. While growth in the production of non-
foodgrains meagerly accelerated and improved their growth but it registered negative
growth of -0.53 per cent in post-bifurcation period as compared to the (-1.74 per cent
per annum) pre-bifurcation period.
Furthermore, it can also be observed from the data (Appendix-3), that
vegetables is the third most widely cultivated crop; however its production is
continuously increasing after the bifurcation of the state and reached the highest level
of production, because of this, it stood at the first place in the production among all
the major crops in Bihar during the 2007-08. Hence, the production of vegetables
increased from 8643.1 TMT in 1991-92 to 10219.7 TMT in 2000-01. Its production
further increased to 14067.8 TMT in 2007-08, while the production of fruits has
shown a dismal growth after the partitioned of Bihar. Though, production of fruits
increased from 2799.2 TMT in 1991-92 to 3237.5 TMT in 2000-01. It increased
marginally to 3252.4 TMT in 2007-08.
Analyzing the compound annual growth rate separately for the two sub-
periods, it is significant to observe that during the post-bifurcation period total cereals,
total coarse cereals, pulses and fruits showed deceleration in their growth over the
pre-bifurcation period. Alternatively, the growth rate of non-foodgrain crops namely;
vegetables, sugarcane, total fibers and ground nuts registered a positive growth during
the same period in Bihar.
Moreover, it can be illustrated that the growth rate of production of
(foodgrains) low value crops is significantly higher in both pre (6.46 per cent, which
is significant at 1 per cent level) and post (1.65 per cent, which significant at 10 per
83
cent level) bifurcation period as compared to (non-foodgrains) high value crops i.e. -
1.74 per cent and -0.53 per cent respectively in Bihar (Table-3). On the other hand, in
this connection we have also computed the average annual growth rate (AAGR) of
production in low value crops. It is higher (3.48 per cent per annum) in comparison to
high value crops (1.80 per cent per annum) during the period from 1992-93 to 2007-
08. Hence, the fourth hypothesis that there exists no difference between the growth rate
of high value agricultural crops and low value crops in Bihar is rejected.
It can be concluded that in Bihar, the growth rate of production in high
value crops (fruits, vegetables and commercial crops) has increased as compared
to the low value crops such as cereals, coarse cereals and pulses during the post-
bifurcation period over the pre-bifurcation period. Contrary to that the share in
production of non-foodgrains is higher (66.0 per cent) as compared to foodgrains
(34.0 per cent) during the 2007-08.
(d) Trend in Yield of Major Crops:
The trend analysis of yield of major agricultural crops suggests that during the
post-bifurcation period, foodgrains yield has decreased (3.22 per cent per annum) as
compared to the pre-bifurcation period (-1.02 per cent per annum) in Bihar. The
growth and levels of yield of non-foodgrains has marginally improved (-1.62 per cent
per annum) in post-bifurcation period over the pre-bifurcation period (-2.74 per cent
per annum). Moreover, in terms of yield, sugarcane registered first position followed
by vegetables, fruits, jute, measta and maize during all the three comparative years,
i.e. 1991-92, 2000-01 and 2007-08. Although, the yield of foodgrains is seen to be
decreasing over the time in the state from 1241 kg per hectare in 1991-92 to 1221 kg
per hectare in 2000-01, but it has declined by 1192 kg per hectare in 2007-08. It
shows that the fall in yield of foodgrains was accompanied by a fall in their acreage as
well as production of this crops in 2007-08 in comparison to 2000-01. Conversely, the
yield of non-foodgrains has declined in both 2000-01 and 2007-08 (Table-3).
However, as per the crop-wise analysis is concern the data reveals that among
the horticulture crops, vegetables which is the third most widely cultivated crop and
hold the first place in the production during 2007-08, showed a decreasing trend in
their yields from 14985 kg per hectare in 1991-92 to 14439 kg per hectare in 2000-01,
while its yield increased by 17077 kg per hectare in 2007-08. The acreage as well as
84
production of fruits showed increasing trends, in spite of this, yield of the fruits
showed declining trend during 2007-08 as compared to 2000-01. It is only due to the
erratic rainfall and heavy rainstorms which adversely affected the yield of this crop in
every alternative year in the state.
Empirical results obtained on the compound annual growth rate of yields of
major crops for the pre and post-bifurcation period of Bihar have been presented in
Appendix-4. The Table reveals that out of twenty crops only ten crops namely, maize,
barley, jowar, bajra, small millets, seasamum, pulses, lineseeds, jute and measta had
positive yield growth rate in Bihar as a whole over the period from 1991-92 to 2007-
08. The growth in productivity of Bajra was maximum followed by lineseeds, jowar,
seasamum, measta, maize, jute, and barley which were growing at the rate of 6.08 per
cent, 5.23 per cent, 5.07 per cent, 4.88 per cent, 2.51 per cent, 2.41 per cent, 1.86 per
cent, and 1.17 per cent per annum respectively. Whereas, pulse was the only crop
which showed negligible (0.27 per cent per annum) performance during the overall
period under study.
Similarly, maximum negative growth rate was observed in rice, followed by
vegetables, arhar, ground nuts, rapeseeds and mustard, ragi, fruits, sugarcane, wheat
and gram and their yield performance were (-) 4.64 per cent, (-) 1.65 per cent, (-) 1.38
per cent, (-) 1.36 per cent, (-) 1.23 per cent, (-) 0.99 per cent, (-) 0.93 per cent, (-) 0.75
per cent, (-) 0.40 per cent, (-) 0.20 per cent per annum respectively over the period.
Among these crops arhar, ragi, sugarcane and gram had also negative growth rate in
area as well as production (Appendix-1&3) except rice, vegetables, groundnuts,
rapeseeds and mustard oil which had been increasing in terms of acreage as well as
production but wheat which had almost been stagnating in terms of production but the
growth rate in area were positive. Among the horticulture crops, fruits which yield
had negative growth showed positive growth in area but negative growth in
production during the overall period.
Alternatively, the compound annual growth rate of selected crops for the post-
bifurcation period have been presented in Appendix-4. The Table reveals that during
this period, out of twenty crops analyzed three crops namely total coarse cereals had
shown positive growth in yield followed by total fibers and vegetables that varied
from 0.57 per cent, 1.79 per cent and -2.17 per cent respectively.
85
Likewise, the compound annual growth rate of major crops for the post-
bifurcation period have also been presented in Appendix-4. The Table reveals that
during this period, out of twenty crops analyzed, only ten crops namely, seasamum,
bajra, jowar, lineseeds, measta, maize, jute and small millets had shown increasing
trends in yield which varied from 8.91 per cent, 5.37 per cent, 5.18 per cent, 5.00 per
cent, 2.42 per cent, 2.15 per cent, 1.68 per cent, 1.24 per cent respectively during the
same period. While pulses (0.48 per cent) and wheat (0.25 per cent) were the crops
which showed the negligible performance.
However, the maximum negative growth rate were observed in rice and
vegetables followed by rapeseeds and mustard oil, barley, ground nuts, arhar,
sugarcane, fruits, grams and ragi had shown negative growth in yield which varied
from 2.62 per cent, 2.17 per cent, 1.92 per cent, 1.59 per cent, 1.52 per cent, 1.26 per
cent, 0.65 per cent, 0.49 per cent, 0.40 per cent, 0.19 per cent during the post-
bifurcation period. The range of the positive growth in yield varied from 0.25 per cent
to 8.91 per cent and negative growth in yield varied from -2.62 to -0.19 per cent per
annum.
Out of the twenty crops only four crops namely, seasamum, jowar, maize and
wheat have positive growth in acreage, production and yield. Contrary, five crops
namely, ragi, gram, sugarcane, arhar and barley have negative growth in acreage,
production and yield. On the other hand, only three crops namely, bajra, measta and
jute have the positive growth of yield accompanied with production but the area
growth rate was negative. Whereas small millets and pulses have negative growth rate
in acreage and production. Despite this yield growth rate were positive during the
same period. Contrary, five crops namely, fruits, ground nuts, rapeseeds and mustard
oil, vegetables and rice have the positive growth rate in area and production, in spite
of this the yield growth rate showed negative growth during the post-bifurcation
period. Finally, yields growth rate of foodgrains has declined as compared to the non-
foodgrains in the post-bifurcation period of Bihar.
(II) Growth and Pattern of Traditional Crops-An Agro-Zonal Analysis
of Bihar:
(a) Area, Production and Yield of Foodgrains (Rice and Wheat):
Table-4 reveals that during 1999-00, highest area of 12.13 lakh hectares (Lha)
has been accounted under aghani rice in Zone-3(B) while lowest area of 1.91 Lha
86
under same crop has been recorded in Zone-3(A). In case of summer rice highest area
of 1.02 Lha has been recorded in Zone-2, however only 0.01 Lha area in both Zone-
3(A) and Zone-3(B). Highest area of 4.06 Lha under bhadai rice has been accounted
in Zone-1 while only 0.01 Lha in Zone-3(A). Highest (9.15 Lha) and lowest (1.58
Lha) area under wheat cultivation has been recorded in Zone-1 and Zone-3(A)
respectively.
Area under the aghani rice in Zone-3(B) remain continuously highest till
2005-06 in Bihar, however Zone-3(A) has recorded continuously lowest in each year
till 2005-06. Same feature is found in case of summer rice area which recorded
highest in Zone-2 in each year. However, area under bhadai (autumn) rice recorded
highest in Zone-1 and lowest area in Zone-3(A) in each year. Like bhadai rice, area
under wheat cultivation recorded highest and lowest in Zone-1 and Zone-3(A)
respectively in each year.
Like area, production of aghani rice has recorded highest and lowest in Zone-
3(B) and Zone-3(A) respectively in each year. Again the highest production of
summer rice has been recorded in Zone-2 throughout the entire study time. Zone-1
has recorded the highest production of bhadai rice in each year. It is observed that the
Zone-1 has recorded highest production of wheat till 2002-2003 while during 2003-
2004 highest production of 14.83 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) has been recorded in
Zone-3(B) but in 2004-05 and 2005-06 Zone-1 has produced highest amount of
wheat.
Again, in case of yield of aghani rice Zone-3(B) has recorded highest in
each year except in 2004-05 when highest yield of 1.02 metric tonnes per hectare
(MT/Ha) has been recorded in Zone-3(A). However, yield of summer rice has been
recorded highest in Zone-2 in each year except in 2002-03 when highest yield was
1.75 MT/Ha. Highest yield of bhadai rice has been found in different Zones in
different years, i.e., 1.41 MT/Ha, 1.34 MT/Ha and 1.27 MT/Ha in Zone-1 during
1999-00, 2001-02 and 2003-04 respectively; 1.35 MT/Ha, 1.01 MT/Ha and 1.01
MT/Ha in Zone-2 during 2000-01, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively; while 1.17
MT/Ha in Zone-3(B) during 2002-03. A noticeable Figure is observed that the
highest Figure of the total production and yield of wheat have been observed in
different Zones in each year. During 1999-00 to 2002-03 and 2005-06 highest
yield has been recorded in Zone-3(B).
87
Table-4
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Area, Production and Yield of Different Food Crops in Bihar (1999-00 to 2005-06)
Crops
Agro
Climatic
Zones
Area in lakh Hectares (Lha) Production (in lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT)) Yield (Production lakh MT/Area lakh Hectares)
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
Aghani
Rice Zone-1 8.93 9.12 8.89 9.06 9.03 8.72 8.77 12.36 12.08 14.38 10.10 10.50 5.19 6.76 1.38 1.32 1.62 1.11 1.16 0.60 0.77
Zone-2 6.34 5.57 5.63 5.54 5.56 5.29 5.26 7.58 6.29 5.37 6.05 7.71 4.10 5.07 1.20 1.13 0.95 1.09 1.39 0.78 0.96
Zone-3 (A) 1.91 3.01 2.53 2.88 2.83 2.47 2.61 2.52 3.64 3.22 3.99 3.85 2.53 2.83 1.32 1.21 1.27 1.38 1.36 1.02 1.09
Zone-3 (B) 12.13 11.71 11.58 11.33 11.65 9.11 9.42 23.56 22.37 23.53 21.91 23.83 5.25 15.57 1.94 1.91 2.03 1.93 2.04 0.58 1.65
All Bihar 29.30 29.40 28.64 28.81 29.07 25.60 26.05 46.02 44.38 46.49 42.05 45.90 17.07 30.23 1.57 1.51 1.62 1.46 1.58 0.67 1.16
Summer
Rice Zone-1 0.22 0.20 0.19 0.22 0.20 0.20 0.19 0.31 0.34 0.36 0.38 0.24 0.21 0.18 1.39 1.71 1.88 1.72 1.23 1.06 0.96
Zone-2 1.02 1.04 0.95 0.99 0.96 0.93 0.94 2.14 1.76 1.84 1.59 1.44 1.38 1.64 2.11 1.70 1.94 1.61 1.50 1.49 1.75
Zone-3 (A) 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 1.86 1.63 1.84 0.26 1.40 1.34 1.36
Zone-3 (B) 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 1.83 1.56 1.91 1.52 1.41 1.23 1.47
All Bihar 1.25 1.25 1.15 1.21 1.17 1.14 1.13 2.47 2.13 2.22 1.97 1.70 1.62 1.83 1.98 1.70 1.93 1.62 1.45 1.42 1.61
Bhadai
(Autumn)
Rice
Zone-1 4.06 4.33 4.49 4.41 4.14 4.21 3.97 5.72 5.72 6.02 4.80 5.28 3.72 3.59 1.41 1.32 1.34 1.09 1.27 0.88 0.90
Zone-2 1.31 1.55 1.39 1.19 1.35 1.30 1.37 1.22 2.10 1.30 1.19 1.55 1.31 1.38 0.93 1.35 0.93 1.00 1.14 1.01 1.01
Zone-3 (A) 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 1.15 1.27 1.24 1.08 1.23 0.91 0.91
Zone-3 (B) 0.03 0.02 0.07 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.08 0.02 0.04 0.02 0.04 1.16 1.30 1.23 1.17 1.24 0.91 1.00
All Bihar 5.41 5.92 5.97 5.63 5.54 5.53 5.39 6.98 7.87 7.42 6.03 6.88 5.06 5.02 1.29 1.33 1.24 1.07 1.24 0.91 0.93
Wheat Zone-1 9.15 9.04 9.27 9.19 8.92 9.07 9.13 20.07 19.78 18.50 16.51 14.72 16.00 12.02 2.19 2.19 2.00 1.80 1.65 1.76 1.32
Zone-2 3.47 3.62 3.90 3.82 3.67 3.52 3.42 7.14 7.43 6.76 6.11 4.60 4.82 2.82 2.06 2.05 1.73 1.60 1.25 1.37 0.83
Zone-3 (A) 1.58 1.65 1.50 1.48 1.57 1.49 1.35 2.66 2.86 2.49 2.31 2.73 2.03 1.82 1.68 1.73 1.66 1.56 1.74 1.37 1.35
Zone-3 (B) 6.61 6.36 6.60 6.82 6.61 6.20 6.12 15.96 14.10 16.19 15.42 14.83 9.78 11.12 2.41 2.22 2.45 2.26 2.25 1.58 1.82
All Bihar 20.81 20.67 21.26 21.30 20.77 20.28 20.02 45.84 44.17 43.93 40.36 36.89 32.63 27.78 2.20 2.14 2.07 1.89 1.78 1.61 1.39
Source: http://krishi.bih.nic.in Note: Where all districts of Bihar are under these agricultural Zones, which are as follows;
Zone-1: W. Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Sheohar, Begusarai, Vaishali
Zone-2: Saharsha, Purina, Katihar, Supaul, Khagaria, Madhepura, Kishanganj , Araria
Zone-3 (a): Bhagalpur, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Munger, Banka
Zone-3 (b): Bhabua, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Buxar, Jahanabad (Arval is included in this dist.), Gaya, Nalanda, Nawada, Patna
88
(b) Share of Area, Production and Yield of Foodgrains:
Table-5 shows that the share of area and production of food crops in different
agro-climatic Zones in the state. During 1999-2000, Zone-3(B) has recorded as
highest as 41.4 per cent area under aghani rice and its highest share with fluctuated
Figure continued till 2005-06. However, Zone-3(A) has recorded lowest share of area
under aghani rice, i.e. 6.5 per cent in 1999-00, 10.2 per cent in 2000-01, 8.8 per cent
in 2001-02, 10.0 per cent in 2002-03, 9.7 per cent in both 2003-04 and 2004-05 and
10 per cent in 2005-06.
The Table-5 reveals that summer rice is cultivated mainly in Zone-2 which
accounts highest share in each year till 2005-06 in Bihar. While Zone-3(A) and Zone
3(B) are placed at bottom in the share of area under summer rice. The percentage
share of area under bhadai rice is different from that of under aghani and summer rice.
In the state, highest share of area under bhadai rice has been registered in Zone-1: i.e.,
75.1 per cent, 73.2 per cent, 75.2 per cent, 78.3 per cent, 74.8 per cent, 76.0 per cent
and 73.6 per cent in 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and
2005-06 respectively. In case of area under wheat cultivation, highest share has been
recorded in Zone-1 followed by Zone-3(B) in each year. While Zone-3(A) shows
lowest percentage share of area under wheat in each year, i.e. 7.4 per cent, 8.0 per
cent, 7.9 per cent, 7.6 per cent, 8.2 per cent, 8.3 per cent, and 7.5 per cent in 1999-00,
2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2005-06 respectively.
Likewise the highest percentage share of production of aghani rice, summer
rice and bhadai rice has been recorded in Zone-3(B), Zone-2 and Zone-1 respectively.
The percentage share of production of aghani rice in Zone-3(B) has been accounted
for 51.2 per cent, 50.4 per cent, 50.6 per cent, 52.1 per cent, 51.9 per cent, 30.7 per
cent, and 51.5 per cent in 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and
2005-06 respectively. Highest percentage share of production of summer rice in Zone-
2 is 86.8 per cent, 82.75, 82.9 per cent, 80.4 per cent, 84.9 per cent, 85.6 per cent and
89.6 per cent, while lowest Figure in Zone-3(A) is 0.4 per cent, 0.6 per cent, 0.4 per
cent, 0.1 per cent, 0.3 per cent, 0.3 per cent and 0.3 per cent during 1999-00, 2000-01,
2001,02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively. Zone-1 has recorded
89
highest percentage share in production of wheat accounting 43.8 per cent, 44.8 per cent,
42.1 per cent, 40.9 per cent, 39.9 per cent, 49.0 per cent and 43.3 per cent in 1999-00,
2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively. Zone-3(A)
recorded lowest percentage of 6.2 per cent, 6.9 per cent, 6.2 per cent, 6.1 per cent, 7.9
per cent, 7.6 per cent and 7.8 per cent in 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04,
2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively.
Table-5
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Percentage Share of Area, Production of Foodgrains in
Bihar (1999-00 to 2005-06)
Crops Agro
Climatic
Zones
Percentage Share in Area Percentage Share in Productions
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
Aghani
Rice
Zone-1 30.5 31 31 31.4 31.1 34.1 33.7 26.9 27.2 30.9 24 22.9 30.4 22.4
Zone-2 21.6 18.9 19.7 19.2 19.1 20.7 20.2 16.5 14.2 11.5 14.4 16.8 24 16.8
Zone-3 (A) 6.5 10.2 8.8 10 9.7 9.7 10 5.5 8.2 6.9 9.5 8.4 14.8 9.4
Zone-3 (B) 41.4 39.8 40.5 39.3 40.1 35.6 36.1 51.2 50.4 50.6 52.1 51.9 30.7 51.5
All Bihar 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Summer
Rice
Zone-1 17.6 16.1 16.5 18 17 17.7 16.5 12.4 16.2 16.1 19.1 14.4 13.3 9.8
Zone-2 81.4 82.7 82.4 81.2 82.3 81 82.9 86.8 82.7 82.9 80.4 84.9 85.6 89.6
Zone-3 (A) 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.3
Zone-3 (B) 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.4 1 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.3
All Bihar 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Bhadai
(Autumn)
Rice
Zone-1 75.1 73.2 75.2 78.3 74.8 76 73.6 81.9 72.7 81.1 79.7 76.7 73.5 71.5
Zone-2 24.2 26.3 23.3 21.1 24.4 23.4 25.4 17.4 26.7 17.5 19.8 22.5 25.9 27.5
Zone-3 (A) 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2
Zone-3 (B) 0.5 0.4 1.1 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.7 0.4 0.4 1.1 0.3 0.6 0.3 0.7
All Bihar 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Wheat* Zone-1 44 43.7 43.6 43.1 43 44.7 45.6 43.8 44.8 42.1 40.9 39.9 49 43.3
Zone-2 16.7 17.5 18.3 17.9 17.7 17.4 17.1 15.6 16.8 15.4 15.1 12.5 14.8 10.1
Zone-3 (A) 7.4 8.0 7.9 7.6 8.2 8.3 7.5 6.2 6.9 6.2 6.1 7.9 7.6 7.8
Zone-3 (B) 31.8 30.8 31.1 32.0 31.8 30.6 30.6 34.8 31.9 36.9 38.2 40.2 30.0 40.0
All Bihar 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Source: Same as Table-4
(c) Annual Growth Rate of Area, Production and Yield of Foodgrains
Table-6 reveals the percentage change in area of production and yield of rice and
wheat in different agro-climatic Zones in Bihar. The Table shows high degree of
fluctuations in aghani rice. The highest annual growth of area which is 57.5 per cent in
Zone-3(A) during 1999-00 to 2000-01, and has recorded highest average annual growth
rate of 7.8 per cent during the period from 2000-01 to 2005-06. While Zone-3(B) has
90
recorded highest negative average growth rate of -3.7 per cent per annum over the same
period. This is because of the decline in area under aghani rice by -21.8 per cent during 2003-
04 to 2004-05. In the cultivation of summer rice, Zone-3(B) registered highest average
growth rate of 9.5 per cent per annum, while Zone-3(A) registered negative growth rate of -
2.8 per cent per annum. The total area under the cultivation of bhadai rice in Bihar has
increased by 45.8 per cent in Zone-3(B).
A noticeable Figure is observed in the growth pattern of area under wheat. The area
under wheat cultivation in Bihar, Zone-3(A) has registered highest negative average rate of -
2.4 per cent per annum over the period; because area under wheat has declined by -9.5 per
cent and -8.9 per cent during 2001-02 and 2005-06 in the same Zone. But in the case of Bihar
as a whole, area under wheat cultivation has declined by -0.6 per cent per annum.
The Table reveals fluctuations in the growth rate of yield of aghani rice. In the year
2000-01, all the Zones of Bihar has recorded negative growth rate, while highest positive
growth of 187.3 per cent yield in 2005-06 has been recorded in Zone-3(B). Thus, Zone-3(B)
registered highest average rate of growth by 20.2 per cent per annum among all the Zones of
Bihar over the period while Zone-1 has registered lowest as well negative average growth
rate of -4.7 per cent per annum during the same period.
The state shows poor performance in the yield of summer rice. It registered a growth
rate of -14.0 per cent in 2000-01, -15.9 per cent in 2002-03, -10.5 per cent in 2003-04 and -
2.7 per cent in 2004-05, however it increased by 13.6 per cent in 2001-02 and 14.11 per cent
in 2005-06. In 2004-05, all the Zones have recorded negative growth in yield of summer rice,
but a highest growth, i.e., 434.7 per cent has been recorded in 2003-04 in Zone-3(A). It
recorded highest average rate of growth of 58.4 per cent per annum in yield of summer rice
over the period of study.
The state shows a positive growth in yield of bhadai rice of 2.9 per cent in 2000-01,
16.0 per cent in 2003-04 and 1.8 per cent in 2005-06, but a negative growth of -6.5 per cent
in 2001-02, -13.9 per cent in 2002-03 and -26.4 per cent in 2004-05. It is surprising that all
the Zones of Bihar have recorded a positive growth in yield of bhadai rice in 2000-01 except
negative growth of -6.2 per cent in Zone-1. Among all Zones, Zone-2 has registered highest
average rate of growth of yield of 3.95 per cent under bhadai rice crops over the period.
91
Table-6
Zone-wise Annual and Average Annual Growth Rate of Area, Production and Yield of Food Crops in Bihar
(2000-01 to 2005-06)
Crops
Agro
Climatic
Zones
Growth Rates in Area Growth Rate in Productions Growth Rates of Yield
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06 AAGR
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06 AAGR
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06 AAGR
Aghani
Rice
Zone-1 2.1 -2.5 1.9 -0.4 -3.4 0.6 -0.3 -2.3 19 -29.8 4 -50.6 30.2 -4.92 -4.3 22.1 -31.1 4.4 -48.8 29.5 -4.70
Zone-2 -12.1 1.1 -1.7 0.4 -4.9 -0.7 -3.0 -17 -14.8 12.8 27.4 -46.8 23.6 -2.47 -5.6 -15.7 14.7 26.8 -44.1 24.4 0.08
Zone-3 (A) 57.5 -15.8 14 -2 -12.4 5.3 7.8 44.8 -11.7 23.9 -3.3 -34.3 11.8 5.20 -8 4.9 8.7 -1.4 -25 6.1 -2.45
Zone-3 (B) -3.5 -1 -2.2 2.9 -21.8 3.3 -3.7 -5 5.2 -6.9 8.7 -78 196.8 20.13 -1.6 6.3 -4.8 5.7 -71.9 187.3 20.17
All Bihar 0.3 -2.6 0.6 0.9 -12 1.8 -1.8 -3.6 4.7 -9.5 9.1 -62.8 77.1 2.50 -3.9 7.5 -10.1 8.2 -57.8 74 2.98
Summer
Rice
Zone-1 -8.3 -5.9 14.8 -9.1 2 -7.8 -2.4 12.7 3.7 5.2 -34.9 -12.3 -16.2 -6.97 22.9 10.2 -8.4 -28.4 -14 -9.1 -4.47
Zone-2 1.9 -8.7 4.1 -2.4 -3.7 1.4 -1.2 -17.7 4.3 -13.8 -9 -4 18.3 -3.65 -19.2 14.2 -17.2 -6.8 -0.3 16.7 -2.10
Zone-3 (A) 40.3 -28.3 -24.3 3.6 -14 5.7 -2.8 22.7 -18.8 -89.3 456.9 -17.3 7.2 60.23 -12.5 13.3 -85.9 437.7 -3.8 1.4 58.37
Zone-3 (B) 22.8 -10.4 -16.3 -25.1 153.4 -67.5 9.5 4.5 9.7 -33.6 -30.4 122.1 -61.4 1.82 -14.9 22.5 -20.7 -7.1 -12.3 18.7 -2.30
All Bihar 0.4 -8.4 5.7 -3.7 -2.2 -0.9 -1.5 -13.6 4.1 -11.2 -13.8 -4.8 13 -4.38 -14 13.6 -15.9 -10.5 -2.7 14.1 -2.57
Bhadai
(Autumn)
Rice
Zone-1 6.6 3.7 -1.7 -6.1 1.5 -5.6 -0.3 0 5.2 -20.2 9.9 -29.6 -3.5 -6.37 -6.2 1.4 -18.8 17.1 -30.6 2.2 -5.82
Zone-2 19 -10.6 -14.3 13.7 -4.3 5.9 1.6 72.7 -38.4 -7.9 29.7 -15.5 5.7 7.72 45.1 -31.1 7.5 14.1 -11.7 -0.2 3.95
Zone-3 (A) -2.2 100.9 -42.6 -16.2 41.3 -15.2 11.0 7.8 96.5 -50 -4.5 4.9 -15.3 6.57 10.3 -2.2 -13 13.9 -25.8 -0.1 -2.82
Zone-3 (B) -15.7 195.6 -76 102.4 -46.5 114.9 45.8 -5.7 179.6 -77.2 114.4 -60.6 134.5 47.50 11.9 -5.4 -5 6 -26.4 9.1 -1.63
All Bihar 9.5 0.9 -5.6 -1.6 -0.1 -2.5 0.1 12.7 -5.7 -18.8 14.1 -26.5 -0.7 -4.15 2.9 -6.5 -13.9 16 -26.4 1.8 -4.35
Wheat Zone-1 -1.3 2.6 -0.9 -2.9 1.7 0.7 0.0 -1.5 -6.5 -10.7 -10.9 8.7 -24.9 -7.63 -0.2 -8.8 -9.9 -8.2 6.9 -25.4 -7.60
Zone-2 4.5 7.6 -1.9 -3.9 -4.2 -3 -0.2 4.1 -9.1 -9.6 -24.6 4.8 -41.6 -12.67 -0.4 -15.5 -7.9 -21.6 9.3 -39.8 -12.65
Zone-3 (A) 4.4 -9.5 -1.4 6.1 -5.2 -8.9 -2.4 7.4 -13.2 -7.1 18.2 -25.5 -10.4 -5.10 2.9 -4.1 -5.8 11.4 -21.4 -1.6 -3.10
Zone-3 (B) -3.7 3.8 3.3 -3.1 -6.2 -1.3 -1.2 -11.6 14.8 -4.7 -3.8 -34.1 13.7 -4.28 -8.2 10.7 -7.8 -0.7 -29.7 15.2 -3.42
All Bihar -0.7 2.9 0.2 -2.5 -2.4 -1.3 -0.6 -3.6 -0.6 -8.1 -8.6 -11.5 -14.9 -7.88 -3 -3.3 -8.3 -6.2 -9.4 -13.8 -7.33
Source: Same as Table-4 Note: AAGR: Average Annual Growth Rate
92
Like growth in yield the state is unlucky in the growth rate of wheat production. It
accounted negative growth of -3.0 per cent in 2000-01, -3.3 per cent in 2001-02, -8.3 per
cent in 2002-03, -6.2 per cent in 2003-04, -9.4 per cent in 2004-05 and -13.8 per cent in
2005-06. Positive growth of yield of wheat is observed in Zone-1 in 2004-05 (6.9 per
cent), in Zone-2 in 2004-05 (9.3 per cent), in Zone-3(A) in 2000-01 (2.9 per cent) and in
2003-04 (11.4 per cent) and in Zone-3(B) in 2001-02 (10.7 per cent) and in 2005-06 (15.2
per cent).
It is observed from the foregoing analysis that the state doesn’t have the
consistency in the production and yield of rice and wheat. Moreover, a very poor
performance is observed in the production and yield of wheat. The overall poor
performance of foodgrains crop is the consequence of lack of dissemination as well as
diffusion of innovations in Bihar agriculture.
(d) Area, Production and Yield of Oilseeds:
Table-7 reveals the agro-climatic Zone-wise feature of area, production and
yield of oilseeds such as linseeds seasamum, pea, rapeseed, and sunflower during 1999-
00 to 2005-06. Area under linseed cultivation has been 43.92 thousand hectare (Tha)
which is highest reported in 1999-00, but it declined year after year in the state.
However, among all the Zones, Zone-3(B) has recorded highest area under linseeds
cultivation, lowest area has been recorded in Zone-3(A), and very least amount of area
under seasamum cultivation is observed in Bihar. Among all the Zones, highest area
under seasamum cultivation has been recorded in Zone-1 accounting for 1.28, 1.34,
1.34, 1.46, 1.31, 1.37 and 1.36 thousand hectares in 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-
03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively. While lowest area has been found in
Zone-3(A). Area under pea cultivation has also reportedly declined year after year with
few exceptions. 25.38 Tha area under pea cultivation has been recorded in 1999-00
while 25.71 Tha in 2000-01, 24.32 Tha in 2001-02, 23.35 Tha in 2002-03, 23.74 Tha in
2003-04, 23.10 Tha in 2004-05, and 24.12 Tha in 2005-06. Zone-3(B) has recorded
highest area under pea cultivation, while least area has been accounted in Zone-3(A).
Therefore a wide difference in the area under pea cultivation is observed among the
different Zones in the state. Among all the oilseeds, highest area has been registered
under rapeseeds cultivation which are 88.91, 97.01, 93.12, 90.07, 83.67 and 82.06
93
thousand hectares in 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-
06 respectively. Zone-1 shows highest area under rapeseeds in each year among all the
Zones accounting 48.11 Tha, 47.32 Tha, 50.68 Tha, 48.92 Tha 46.35 Tha 46.07 Tha,
45.96 Tha in 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06
respectively. Cultivation of sunflower is also important in Bihar economy. Sunflower is
the only oilseed crop which shows continuous increase of area under its cultivation
from 10.23 thousand hectares in 2001-02 to 22.63 thousand hectares in 2005-06. lowest
amount of area under sunflower cultivation is observed in Zone-3(B) accounting only
0.86, 0.40, 0.25, 0.34, 0.20, 0.68 and 0.51 thousand hectares in 1999-00, 2000-01,
2001-02, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively, while highest area under it is
observed in Zone-2. The Table also reveals wide fluctuations in the production of
linseeds showing its poor performance. Table shows that 25.26 thousand metric tonnes
(TMT) linseeds was produced in the state in 1999-00, while 27.17 TMT in 2000-01,
25.68 TMT in 2001-02, 22.16 TMT in 2002-03, 27.20 TMT in 2003-04, 23.96 TMT in
2004-05 and 26.43 TMT in 2005-06. Among different Zones, highest amount of
production has been recorded in Zone-3(B), while lowest amount in Zone-3(A) in each
year.
Among the oilseeds production in the state, production of seasamum was least
in each year. However among the agro-climatic Zones, Zone-3(A) has recorded
negligible quantity accounting 0.03, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.001, 0.2 and 0.02 TMT in 1999-
00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively.
Some fluctuations over the different year is observed in the production of pea in Bihar.
Zone-3(B) is richer among all Zones in the production of pea recording highest quantity
in each year while Zones-3(A) has contributed lowest quantity in each year. Among all
types of oilseeds produced in Bihar, the production of rapeseeds has recorded highest
quantity among all the climatic Zones; Zone-1 has recorded highest quantity in each
year. While Zone-3(A) has registered lowest quantity of production in each year. In
case of sunflower production, highest contribution is made by Zone-2 which accounts
for 12.67, 13.66, 10.97, 14.50, 21.17, 24.88 and 26.08 thousand hectares in 1999-00,
2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively.
Zone-2 has recorded an impressive increase in the sunflower production from 12.67
TMT in 1999-00 to 26.08 TMT in 2005-06.
94
Table-7
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Area, Production and Yield of Oilseeds in Bihar
(1999-00 to 2005-06)
Crops
Agro
Climatic
Zones
Area (in thousand Hectares) Production (in thousand Metric Tonnes) Yield (Production Th. MT/Area Th. MT Hectares)
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
Linseeds Zone-1 8.77 5.64 5.01 4.10 4.36 4.22 4.59 4.86 4.20 3.48 2.84 3.42 4.01 4.11 0.55 0.74 0.69 0.69 0.78 0.95 0.90
Zone-2 12.02 11.55 9.48 8.44 9.15 8.69 10.54 7.81 6.68 6.13 6.35 7.17 6.88 9.41 0.65 0.58 0.65 0.75 0.78 0.79 0.89
Zone-3 (A) 1.86 1.80 1.91 2.03 1.86 1.49 1.49 1.05 1.22 1.37 1.54 1.42 1.29 1.25 0.56 0.68 0.72 0.76 0.76 0.86 0.84
Zone-3 (B) 21.27 22.81 19.33 14.59 19.32 13.36 12.91 11.55 15.07 14.70 11.42 15.19 11.78 11.67 0.54 0.66 0.76 0.78 0.79 0.88 0.90
All Bihar 43.92 41.80 35.72 29.16 34.70 27.77 29.53 25.26 27.17 25.68 22.16 27.20 23.96 26.43 0.58 0.65 0.72 0.76 0.78 0.86 0.90
Seasamum Zone-1 1.28 1.34 1.34 1.46 1.31 1.37 1.36 0.70 0.72 0.86 0.89 0.90 0.93 0.97 0.54 0.54 0.64 0.61 0.69 0.68 0.71
Zone-2 1.39 1.32 1.14 1.20 0.95 0.96 0.80 0.71 0.65 0.69 0.92 0.72 0.80 0.62 0.51 0.49 0.61 0.76 0.76 0.83 0.77
Zone-3 (A) 0.05 0.02 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.02 0.02 0.51 0.47 0.86 5.00 0.67 0.83 0.80
Zone-3 (B) 0.88 0.71 0.62 1.13 1.53 1.14 1.37 0.45 0.39 0.43 0.92 1.21 0.99 1.28 0.51 0.55 0.69 0.82 0.79 0.87 0.93
All Bihar 3.60 3.38 3.10 3.79 3.80 3.50 3.55 1.88 1.77 1.99 2.74 2.84 2.74 2.88 0.52 0.52 0.64 0.72 0.75 0.78 0.81
Pea Zone-1 6.69 5.85 6.16 6.29 6.16 5.66 6.57 5.00 5.50 5.99 5.86 5.70 5.23 6.01 0.75 0.94 0.97 0.93 0.93 0.92 0.92
Zone-2 5.05 5.27 6.01 4.71 5.06 5.22 5.11 3.66 5.31 5.99 4.15 4.73 4.72 4.60 0.72 1.01 1.00 0.88 0.93 0.90 0.90
Zone-3 (A) 2.08 2.82 2.06 1.89 2.61 2.56 2.20 1.49 2.67 2.02 1.69 2.44 2.15 1.98 0.71 0.95 0.98 0.89 0.93 0.84 0.90
Zone-3 (B) 11.57 11.77 10.09 10.46 9.91 9.66 10.24 8.02 11.33 9.93 9.17 9.30 8.81 8.91 0.69 0.96 0.98 0.88 0.94 0.91 0.87
All Bihar 25.38 25.71 24.32 23.35 23.74 23.10 24.12 18.16 24.81 23.93 20.87 22.17 20.91 21.49 0.72 0.96 0.98 0.89 0.93 0.90 0.89
Rapeseeds Zone-1 48.11 47.32 50.68 48.92 46.35 46.07 45.96 36.95 42.28 41.80 33.47 38.74 30.12 42.60 0.77 0.89 0.82 0.68 0.84 0.65 0.93
Zone-2 18.18 28.84 19.96 19.25 16.81 18.13 15.89 13.65 25.33 18.10 12.87 13.16 13.53 13.54 0.75 0.88 0.91 0.67 0.78 0.75 0.85
Zone-3 (A) 6.65 6.22 7.24 7.16 7.27 6.91 7.05 5.84 4.84 5.22 2.58 7.07 6.68 11.33 0.88 0.78 0.72 0.36 0.97 0.97 1.61
Zone-3 (B) 15.96 14.63 15.24 14.74 13.24 12.23 13.15 11.01 15.00 12.96 13.11 10.00 9.47 9.56 0.69 1.03 0.85 0.89 0.76 0.77 0.73
All Bihar 88.91 97.01 93.12 90.07 83.67 83.34 82.06 67.45 87.45 78.08 62.03 68.98 59.80 77.02 0.76 0.90 0.84 0.69 0.82 0.72 0.94
Sunflower Zone-1 1.30 0.63 0.52 0.43 0.36 0.52 0.41 1.09 0.90 0.69 0.54 0.50 0.72 0.57 0.84 1.43 1.32 1.24 1.39 1.38 1.39
Zone-2 14.83 8.53 8.09 11.19 15.42 18.17 19.58 12.67 13.66 10.97 14.50 21.17 24.88 26.08 0.85 1.60 1.36 1.30 1.37 1.37 1.33
Zone-3 (A) 1.28 1.28 1.38 1.40 1.56 1.81 2.14 1.78 1.53 1.93 1.92 2.22 2.61 3.11 1.40 1.20 1.40 1.37 1.42 1.44 1.45
Zone-3 (B) 0.86 0.40 0.25 0.34 0.20 0.68 0.51 1.07 0.61 0.33 0.43 0.27 0.91 0.67 1.24 1.52 1.35 1.28 1.37 1.34 1.32
All Bihar 18.27 10.84 10.23 13.36 17.53 21.18 22.63 16.61 16.71 13.92 17.39 24.16 29.12 30.43 0.91 1.54 1.36 1.30 1.38 1.37 1.34
Source: Same as Table-4
95
Table-7 reveals inconsistency in the yield over different years and different agro-
climatic Zones in the state. The state has recorded an average yield of 0.58, 0.65, 0.72,
0.76, 0.78, 0.86 and 0.90 metric tonnes per hectare (MT/Ha) in 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-
02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively for linseeds. Among all the
oilseeds produced, seasamum has recorded least yield in each year except 0.78 MT/Ha in
2004-05 when yield of rapeseeds (0.72 MT/Ha) is calculated least. A range of variation is
observed across both time period and agro-climatic Zones. An average yield of pea
accounting 0.72, 0.96, 0.98, 0.98, 0.93, 0.90 and 0.89 metric tonne per hectare have been
recorded in the state 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2004-05
and 2005-06 respectively. A very little difference of yield of pea is observed between the
Zones over each year. A glaring feature is observed in the yield of sunflower in the state.
Among all the oilseeds being cultivated in the state, sunflower has recorded highest yield
in each Zones and in each year. Though higher area and higher production is recorded in
Zone-2, but higher yield rate of sunflower has been registered in Zone-3(A) in each year
except in 2001-02 when Zone-2 has recorded highest 1.60 MT/Ha.
(e) Share of Area, Production and Yield of Oilseeds:
Table-8 reveals the percentage share of area and production and yield of oilseeds
in different agro-climatic Zones in the state. Out of the total area under linseeds
cultivation in Bihar highest percentage share is found in Zones-3(B) in each year,
accounting 48.43 per cent in 1999-00, 54.58 per cent in 2000-01, 54.11 per cent in 2001-
02, 50.03 per cent in 2002-03, 55.69 per cent in 2003-04, 48.12 per cent in 2004-05 and
43.73 per cent in 2005-06, while least share is recorded in Zone-3(A), further Zone-3(A)
has recorded lowest percentage share of area under seasamum cultivation in each year. A
highest percentage share of area under pea cultivation has been recorded in Zone-3(B) in
each year while lowest percentage share is recorded in Zone-3(A). Zone-1 has recorded
highest percentage share of area under rapeseeds cultivation in each year accounting
54.11 per cent, 48.78 per cent, 54.43 per cent, 54.31 per cent, 55.40 per cent, 55.28 per
cent and 56.01 per cent in 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and
2005-06 respectively. Zone-3(A) has recorded lowest share of area under rapeseeds
96
cultivation. But in sunflower cultivation, highest percentage of share has been recorded in
Zone-2, while lowest in Zone-3(B) accounting only 2.24 per cent in contrast to 86.51 per
cent in Zone-2 in 2005-06.
Table-8
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Percentage Share of Area, Production and Yield of Oilseeds in Bihar
(1999-00 to 2005-06)
Crops Agro
Climatic
Zones
Percentage Share in Area Percentage Share in Productions 1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
Linseeds Zone-1 20.0 13.5 14.0 14.1 12.6 15.2 15.5 19.2 15.4 13.5 12.8 12.6 16.8 15.5
Zone-2 27.4 27.6 26.5 29.0 26.4 31.3 35.7 30.9 24.6 23.9 28.7 26.4 28.7 35.6
Zone-3 (A) 4.2 4.3 5.3 7.0 5.4 5.4 5.1 4.1 4.5 5.3 7.0 5.2 5.4 4.7
Zone-3 (B) 48.4 54.6 54.1 50.0 55.7 48.1 43.7 45.7 55.5 57.3 51.6 55.8 49.2 44.1
All Bihar 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Seasamum Zone-1 35.6 39.6 43.1 38.5 34.6 39.1 38.2 37.0 40.9 43.1 32.5 31.8 34.0 33.5
Zone-2 38.5 39.1 36.6 31.7 25.0 27.6 22.5 37.9 36.6 34.8 33.5 25.5 29.2 21.5
Zone-3 (A) 1.4 0.4 0.5 0.1 0.2 0.7 0.6 1.4 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.7 0.6
Zone-3 (B) 24.5 20.9 19.9 29.7 40.2 32.6 38.7 23.7 22.1 21.5 33.7 42.6 36.1 44.5
All Bihar 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Pea Zone-1 26.3 22.8 25.3 27.0 25.9 24.5 27.2 27.5 22.2 25.0 28.1 25.7 25.0 28.0
Zone-2 19.9 20.5 24.7 20.2 21.3 22.6 21.2 20.1 21.4 25.0 19.9 21.3 22.6 21.4
Zone-3 (A) 8.2 11.0 8.5 8.1 11.0 11.1 9.1 8.2 10.8 8.5 8.1 11.0 10.3 9.2
Zone-3 (B) 45.6 45.8 41.5 44.8 41.7 41.8 42.5 44.2 45.7 41.5 44.0 42.0 42.1 41.5
All Bihar 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Rapeseeds Zone-1 54.1 48.8 54.4 54.3 55.4 55.3 56.0 54.8 48.4 53.5 54.0 56.2 50.4 55.3
Zone-2 20.5 29.7 21.4 21.4 20.1 21.8 19.4 20.2 29.0 23.2 20.8 19.1 22.6 17.6
Zone-3 (A) 7.5 6.4 7.8 8.0 8.7 8.3 8.6 8.7 5.5 6.7 4.2 10.3 11.2 14.7
Zone-3 (B) 18.0 15.1 16.4 16.4 15.8 14.7 16.0 16.3 17.2 16.6 21.1 14.5 15.8 12.4
All Bihar 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Sunflower Zone-1 7.1 5.8 5.1 3.3 2.0 2.5 1.8 6.6 5.4 4.9 3.1 2.1 2.5 1.9
Zone-2 81.2 78.7 79.1 83.7 87.9 85.8 86.5 76.3 81.8 78.8 83.4 87.6 85.5 85.7
Zone-3 (A) 7.0 11.8 13.5 10.5 8.9 8.6 9.4 10.7 9.2 13.9 11.1 9.2 9.0 10.2
Zone-3 (B) 4.7 3.7 2.4 2.5 1.1 3.2 2.2 6.5 3.7 2.4 2.5 1.1 3.1 2.2
All Bihar 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: Same as Table-4
Table-8 further reveals that no particular Zone shows highest contribution of the
production of all types of oilseeds. Zone-3(B) has recorded highest percentage share of
production of linseeds and pea in each year to the total production in Bihar. While
Zone-1 and Zone-2 has registered highest percentage share to the total production of
rapeseeds and sunflower respectively. However, production share of seasamum is found
lowest in Zone-3(A), while rest Zones have recorded more or less uniform share in each year.
97
(f) Annual Growth Rate of Area, Production and Yield of Oilseeds:
Table-9 reveals the growth pattern in area, production and yield of oilseeds in
Bihar as a whole and in different climatic Zones separately. In the state area under
linseeds recorded a decline of -4.82 per cent in 2000-01, -14.53 per cent in 2001-02, -
18.38 per cent in 2002-03, but increased by 19.0 per cent in 2003-04, again declined by -
19.97 per cent in 2004-05, increased by 6.35 per cent in 2005-06. All the Zones have
experienced both positive and negative growth in area, under linseeds cultivation. Again
a positive and negative growth in area under seasamum cultivation is observed in the
state as a whole accounting -6.14 per cent, -8.11 per cent, 21.94 per cent, 0.26 per cent, -
7.85 per cent and 1.49 per cent in 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-
06 respectively. However, highest positive growth of 300.0 per cent has been noticed in
Zone-3(A) in 2004-05 followed by 200.0 per cent in 2003-04 in same Zone. Further the
same Zone (Zone-3(A)) has recorded highest decline in area under seasamum cultivation
by -85.71 per cent in 2002-03 followed by -70.59 per cent in 2000-01. Therefore, higher
inconsistency in the area under it is recorded in Zone-3(A). However, highest average
annual growth rate (53.4 per cent) of area under seasamum has been recorded over the
period. While Zone-2 has the lowest negative growth rate per annum during the same
period.
Lower fluctuation in the area under pea cultivation is observed in the state
accounting 1.30 per cent, -5.43 per cent, -3.96 per cent, 1.66 per cent, -2.68 per cent and
4.38 per cent in 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively.
Higher inconsistency in the growth of area under pea has been recorded in Zone-3(A)
accounting 35.63, -27.05 per cent, -7.83 per cent, 37.96 per cent, -2.10 per cent and -
14.19 per cent in 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 an 2005-06 respectively.
In case of production of rapeseeds among all the Zones, Zone-2 has recorded highest both
increase and decrease of area by 58.63 per cent in 2000-01 and -30.79 per cent in 2001-
02 respectively. It reveals higher inconsistency in the area under rapeseeds cultivation in
Zone-2. Bihar has experienced -40.68 per cent declination of area under sunflower
cultivation in 2000-01, while -5.60 per cent in 2001-02. However, it shows an increase in
98
area by 30.57 per cent in 2002-03, 31.23 per cent in 2003-04, 20.83 per cent in 2004-05
and 6.84 per cent in 2005-06. Higher fluctuation of area under it is observed in Zone-3(B)
with 240.50, growth in 2004-05 from that of previous year, and -53.36 per cent negative
growths in 2000-01 from that in 1999-00. However, Zone-3(A) has recorded positive
growth in each year with its continuous increasing trend from 11.06 per cent in 2003-04,
16.51 per cent in 2004-05 and 17.75 per cent in 2005-06.
The Table-9 shows inconsistency in the growth rate of linseeds production
over different time period. Zone-1 shows continuously increasing trend of negative
growth rate of linseeds production till 2002-03, but after that it shows a positive
growth though with decreasing trend till 2005-06. In the case of seasamum
production, Zone-1 shows positive growth in each year though highest growth of
400.0 per cent in 2004-05 is noticed in Zone-3(A) followed by 115.42 per cent in
Zone-3(B) in 2002-03. Therefore, Zone-3(A) recorded the highest positive average
growth rate of 50.3 per cent per annum followed by Zone-3(B) at 25.8 per cent per
annum in production of the seasamum during the same period. In Bihar the production
of pea increased to 36.57 per cent in 2000-01, but declined to -3.54 per cent in 2001-
02, -12.80 per cent in 2002-03, and 5.70 per cent in 2004-05 and further increased by
6.25 per cent in 2003-04 and 2.77 per cent in 2005-06. The production of rapeseeds in
Zone-3(A) shows highest positive growth of 174.19 per cent in 2003-04 while in the
same year Zone-3(B) shows negative growth of -23.69 per cent and rest Zones show
positive growth. Both highest positive growth of 232.12 per cent in 2004-05 and
highest negative growth of -45.75 per cent in 2001-02 is observed in Zone-3(B)
revealing much inconsistency of sunflower production. Total production of sunflower
in Bihar as a whole has experienced a decline of -16.66 per cent in 2001-02, but a
positive growth with declining trend starts from 38.89 per cent, in 2003-04 to 20.55
per cent in 2004-05 and 4.49 per cent in 2005-06.
99
Table-9
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Annual and Average Annual Growth Rate of Area, Production and Yield of Oilseeds in Bihar
(2000-01 to 2005-06)
Crops
Agro
Climatic
Zones
Growth Rate in Area in Area Growth Rate in Production Growth Rate in Yield 2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06 AAGR
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06 AAGR
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06 AAGR
Linseeds
Zone-1 -35.7 -11.2 -18.1 6.3 -3.2 8.7 -8.9 -13.6 -17.2 -18.2 20.3 17.3 2.3 -1.5 34.4 -6.8 -0.2 13.2 21.2 -5.9 9.3
Zone-2 -3.9 -18.0 -10.9 8.4 -5.0 21.2 -1.4 -14.5 -8.2 3.6 12.9 -4.1 36.8 4.4 -11.1 11.9 16.3 4.2 0.9 12.8 5.8
Zone-3 (A) -3.7 6.4 6.1 -8.0 -20.0 0.1 -3.2 17.1 11.7 12.7 -7.7 -9.6 -2.6 3.6 21.6 5.0 6.2 0.4 13.1 -2.7 7.3
Zone-3 (B) 7.3 -15.3 -24.5 32.5 -30.8 -3.4 -5.7 30.5 -2.5 -22.3 33.0 -22.4 -1.0 2.5 21.6 15.2 2.9 0.4 12.2 2.5 9.1
All Bihar -4.8 -14.5 -18.4 19.0 -20.0 6.4 -5.4 7.5 -5.5 -13.7 22.8 -11.9 10.3 1.6 13.0 10.6 5.7 3.2 10.1 3.8 7.7
Seasamum
Zone-1 4.4 0.0 9.1 -10.0 4.2 -1.0 1.1 3.9 18.8 3.4 1.6 3.2 3.8 5.8 -0.5 18.8 -5.2 12.8 -0.9 4.8 5.0
Zone-2 -4.7 -13.9 5.5 -20.8 1.5 -17.0 -8.2 -9.1 7.1 32.0 -21.0 10.5 -22.8 -0.5 -4.6 24.4 25.1 -0.2 8.9 -6.9 7.8
Zone-3 (A) -70.6 -6.7 -85.7 200.0 300.0 -16.7 53.4 -73.1 71.4 -16.7 -60.0 400.0 -20.0 50.3 -8.5 83.7 483.3 -86.7 25.0 -4.0 82.1
Zone-3 (B) -20.0 -12.6 82.6 35.6 -25.2 20.4 13.5 -12.3 9.5 115.4 31.2 -18.2 29.4 25.8 9.6 25.3 18.0 -3.3 9.4 7.5 11.1
All Bihar -6.1 -8.1 21.9 0.3 -7.9 1.5 0.3 -6.0 12.7 37.3 3.8 -3.5 5.1 8.2 0.2 22.6 12.6 3.5 4.7 3.6 7.9
Pea
Zone-1 -12.5 5.3 2.1 -2.2 -8.0 15.9 0.1 10.0 8.9 -2.2 -2.6 -8.4 14.9 3.4 25.7 3.5 -4.3 -0.5 -0.4 -0.9 3.9
Zone-2 4.4 14.0 -21.6 7.5 3.1 -2.0 0.9 45.1 12.8 -30.7 14.0 -0.1 -2.7 6.4 39.0 -1.1 -11.6 6.0 -3.1 -0.7 4.8
Zone-3 (A) 35.6 -27.1 -7.8 38.0 -2.1 -14.2 3.7 79.7 -24.2 -16.4 44.3 -11.9 -8.1 10.6 32.5 3.9 -9.3 4.6 -10.0 7.1 4.8
Zone-3 (B) 1.7 -14.3 3.6 -5.3 -2.5 6.0 -1.8 41.2 -12.4 -7.6 1.4 -5.3 1.2 3.1 38.8 2.3 -10.9 7.0 -2.9 -4.6 5.0
All Bihar 1.3 -5.4 -4.0 1.7 -2.7 4.4 -0.8 36.6 -3.5 -12.8 6.3 -5.7 2.8 3.9 34.8 2.0 -9.2 4.5 -3.1 -1.5 4.6
Rapeseeds
Zone-1 -1.6 7.1 -3.5 -5.3 -0.6 -0.2 -0.7 14.4 -1.1 -19.9 15.7 -22.3 41.4 4.7 16.4 -7.7 -17.1 22.2 -21.8 41.8 5.6
Zone-2 58.6 -30.8 -3.6 -12.7 7.9 -12.3 1.2 85.6 -28.6 -28.9 2.3 2.9 0.0 5.5 17.0 3.2 -26.2 17.1 -4.7 14.1 3.4
Zone-3 (A) -6.5 16.3 -1.0 1.4 -4.9 2.0 1.2 -17.1 7.9 -50.6 174.2 -5.6 69.7 29.7 -11.4 -7.3 -50.1 170.3 -0.7 66.3 27.9
Zone-3 (B) -8.4 4.2 -3.3 -10.2 -7.6 7.5 -3.0 36.2 -13.6 1.1 -23.7 -5.3 0.9 -0.7 48.7 -17.1 4.6 -15.0 2.5 -6.2 2.9
All Bihar 9.1 -4.0 -3.3 -7.1 -0.4 -1.5 -1.2 29.7 -10.7 -20.6 11.2 -13.3 28.8 4.2 18.8 -7.0 -17.9 19.7 -13.0 30.8 5.3
Sunflower
Zone-1 -51.5 -17.8 -16.1 -17.5 46.1 -21.8 -13.1 -17.5 -23.8 -21.5 -7.8 45.8 -21.2 -7.7 70.4 -7.3 -6.4 11.8 -0.2 0.8 11.5
Zone-2 -42.5 -5.2 38.3 37.8 17.8 7.8 9.0 7.8 -19.7 32.2 46.0 17.5 4.8 14.8 87.5 -15.3 -4.4 5.9 -0.3 -2.8 11.8
Zone-3 (A) 0.1 8.0 1.7 11.1 16.5 17.8 9.2 -13.8 26.1 -0.6 15.3 17.6 19.3 10.6 -13.9 16.7 -2.3 3.8 0.9 1.3 1.1
Zone-3 (B) -53.4 -39.0 37.4 -40.8 240.5 -25.6 19.9 -42.9 -45.8 30.1 -36.6 232.1 -26.6 18.4 22.5 -11.1 -5.3 7.2 -2.5 -1.4 1.6
All Bihar -40.7 -5.6 30.6 31.2 20.8 6.8 7.2 0.6 -16.7 24.9 38.9 20.6 4.5 12.1 69.6 -11.7 -4.3 5.8 -0.2 -2.2 9.5
Source: Same as Table-4
100
The growth of yield of any agricultural crop occupies a significant place to study
the agricultural performance in a particular region. The state of Bihar has recorded a
positive growth in yield of linseeds and seasamum in each year of the study period.
Among the different Zones, Zone-3(B) shows positive growth of linseeds yield in each
year, while highest increase of 34.43 per cent in 2000-01 and highest decline of -11.09
per cent in the same year has been recorded in Zone-1 and Zone-2 respectively. Though
an impressive growth rate of 483.33 per cent of yield of seasamum is observed in 2002-
03 but a steep declination of -86.67 per cent is recorded in 2003-04 revealing higher
fluctuation in growth of its yield. An interesting thing is that, though a significant positive
growth of yield of pea has been recognized in each Zone as well as in the state as a whole
in 2000-01, but negative growth is recorded in each Zone as well as in the state in 2002-
03 and 2004-05. The growth rate of yield of rapeseeds has been most uncertain in each
Zone and in the state in each year of study. Zone-3(A) has experienced highest negative
growth of yield of rapeseeds accounting -50.08 per cent in 2002-03 and highest positive
growth of 170.30 per cent in 2003-04 even among all Zones in each year of the study.
The yield of all Zones in each year of the study, the yield of sunflower has increased by
69.55 per cent in 2000-01 from 1999-00, but declined in 2001-02 by -11.71 per cent, in
2002-03 by -4.33 per cent, increased in 2003-04 by 5.84 per cent, further declined in
2004-05 by -0.23 per cent and in 2005-06 by -2.20 per cent. All the agro-climatic Zones
have recorded a negative growth in 2002-03 and a positive growth rate in 2003-04. The
analysis reveals an unstable production and yield of oilseeds in Bihar. Not a single type of
oilseed performed well revealing neither increasing trend nor the consistency of growth of
their yield.
(g) Area, Production and Yield of Pulses:
Table-10 shows that the absolute value of area, production and yield of pulses in
Bihar. It is observed that arhar was cultivated on 43.0 thousand hectares (Tha) of land in
1999-00, 43.6 Tha in 2000-01, 41.3 Tha in 2001-02, 37.7 Tha in 2002-03, and 38.9 Tha
in 2003-04, 35.8 Tha in 2004-05 and 33.33 Tha in 2005-06. Highest area has been
reportedly devoted under arhar cultivation in Zone-1, while Zone-2 and Zone-3(A) has
recorded small area in each year. More area has reportedly been devoted for gram
101
cultivation than arhar cultivation in the state. However, Zone-1 and Zone-2 show little
area under gram cultivation, but Zone-3 (B) has recorded highest area revealing more
suitability of its cultivation in this Zone. Lentil was cultivated on 170.6 Tha 1999-00,
which increased to 172.2 Tha in 2000-01, 172.6 Tha in 2001-02, and 179.5 Tha in 2002-
03, but declined to 171.0 Tha in 2003-04 than increased to 179.4 Tha in 2004-05, but
again declined to 162.6 Tha in 2005-06. Among three agro-climatic Zones, Zone-3(B)
has recorded highest area under lentil cultivation in each year. It is observed that Zone-1
and Zone-2 are more suitable than Zone-3(A) and Zone-3(B) for moong cultivation
revealing more area under former Zone but very small area recorded in later Zones.
Production of pulses in Bihar doesn’t show the trend of continuous increase nor
decrease. Total production of arhar started declining from 58.9 thousand metric tonnes
(TMT) in 2000-01 to 43.3 TMT in 2002-03, though increased to record 48.1 TMT in
2003-04 but further declined to 44.2 TMT in 2004-05 and 44.1 TMT in 2005-06. Among
the Zones, Zone-1 recorded highest quantify of production in each year. Zone-3(B)
produced highest quantity of gram with decreasing trend till 2001-02 (52.3 TMT) but
after that marginal increase in 2002-03 (57.8 TMT) and further started declining to record
41.0 TMT in 2005-06. Production of lentil does not follow a linear trend in the state
where it recorded 170.0 TMT in 1999-00, 162.8 TMT 2000-01 and 137.8 TMT in 2001-
02, but increased to 156.3 TMT in 2002-03, 159.8 TMT in 2003-04 but further steeply
declined to 131.2 TMT in 2004-05 and 115.2 TMT in 2005-06. Zone-3(B) produced
highest quantity of lentil in each year while least quantity is produced in Zone-2. We
observed very meager amount of production in Zone-3(A) and Zone-3(B) whereas much
higher production in Zone-1 and in Zone-2, is found and later two Zones are more
suitable for moong cultivation than former two Zones. Its production doesn’t follow
linear trend of increase or decrease over the time period in the state.
Little variation of yield of arhar is observed in Bihar over different time
periods and among different agro-climatic Zones. Highest yield of 1.53 Metric tonnes
per hectare (MT/Ha) area is found in 2004-05 in Zone-3 (A) while lowest yield of
0.87 MT/Ha is recorded in Zone-2 in 2001-02, a lower yield of gram than arhar is
observed in the state as well as in each Zone in very year.
102
Table-10
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Area, Production and Yield of Pulses in Bihar (1999-00 to 2005-06)
Crops
Agro
Climate
Zones
Area (in thousand Hectares) Production (in thousand Metric Tonnes) Yield (Production Th. MT/Area Th. MT Hectares)
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
Arhar
Zone-1 26.6 26.7 26.5 24.5 23.3 20.0 20.9 35.4 39.2 33.0 27.5 30.1 25.6 29.4 1.33 1.47 1.25 1.12 1.29 1.28 1.41
Zone-2 1.8 3.8 1.4 1.3 3.5 1.8 1.2 2.3 4.1 1.2 1.5 4.3 2.1 1.4 1.28 1.09 0.87 1.17 1.21 1.21 1.16
Zone-3 (A) 3.4 2.4 1.9 2.1 2.5 2.4 2.3 3.2 2.8 1.8 2.3 3.4 3.7 3.3 0.94 1.17 0.94 1.10 1.38 1.53 1.42
Zone-3 (B) 11.2 10.8 11.5 9.8 9.5 11.7 8.9 12.6 12.8 11.7 12.1 10.3 12.7 10.0 1.12 1.19 1.01 1.23 1.08 1.09 1.12
All Bihar 43.0 43.6 41.3 37.7 38.9 35.8 33.3 53.4 58.9 47.7 43.3 48.1 44.2 44.1 1.24 1.35 1.15 1.15 1.24 1.23 1.32
Gram
Zone-1 3.3 3.1 2.2 2.1 3.9 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.7 1.8 1.6 3.5 2.7 2.2 0.90 0.87 0.83 0.79 0.91 0.88 0.90
Zone-2 3.4 7.2 1.3 1.2 6.6 7.0 2.6 2.7 6.6 0.9 0.7 3.3 5.8 2.3 0.78 0.90 0.64 0.61 0.51 0.83 0.89
Zone-3 (A) 15.1 13.3 13.3 14.6 17.2 14.8 13.8 13.2 12.7 10.2 11.7 15.0 10.2 10.5 0.87 0.96 0.76 0.80 0.87 0.69 0.76
Zone-3 (B) 56.8 52.6 51.0 53.2 52.7 48.5 43.5 59.9 57.1 52.3 57.8 56.7 42.3 41.0 1.06 1.09 1.03 1.09 1.08 0.87 0.94
All Bihar 78.7 76.2 67.9 71.0 80.3 73.3 62.4 78.8 79.0 65.2 71.9 78.6 61.0 56.1 1.00 1.04 0.96 1.01 0.98 0.83 0.90
Lentil
Zone-1 39.6 41.5 40.9 42.4 40.8 44.7 42.1 33.4 36.0 29.9 26.4 31.5 30.3 17.0 0.84 0.87 0.73 0.62 0.77 0.68 0.40
Zone-2 12.8 14.3 14.4 16.2 12.3 14.7 13.6 7.8 10.9 9.0 9.6 7.1 7.3 6.5 0.61 0.76 0.62 0.60 0.58 0.50 0.48
Zone-3 (A) 14.1 14.8 17.6 18.2 15.6 19.9 17.1 8.8 14.7 10.3 13.5 13.6 13.6 13.6 0.62 0.99 0.58 0.74 0.87 0.68 0.80
Zone-3 (B) 104.2 101.5 99.7 102.7 102.4 100.1 89.9 120.1 101.3 88.6 106.7 107.6 80.0 78.1 1.15 1.00 0.89 1.04 1.05 0.80 0.87
All Bihar 170.6 172.2 172.6 179.5 171.0 179.4 162.6 170.0 162.8 137.8 156.3 159.8 131.2 115.2 1.00 0.95 0.80 0.87 0.93 0.73 0.71
Moong
Zone-1 84.7 79.5 77.7 84.3 88.3 81.0 81.8 46.1 43.0 44.8 46.2 43.4 41.9 48.5 0.54 0.54 0.58 0.55 0.49 0.52 0.59
Zone-2 83.1 91.3 90.4 94.0 87.8 84.6 87.8 46.1 58.4 55.9 63.8 42.9 42.7 39.8 0.55 0.64 0.62 0.68 0.49 0.50 0.45
Zone-3 (A) 3.0 1.5 2.6 2.1 2.2 2.2 1.9 2.0 0.8 1.5 1.2 1.1 1.2 1.1 0.65 0.56 0.57 0.58 0.49 0.54 0.57
Zone-3 (B) 1.7 2.0 2.2 2.6 3.1 3.4 2.7 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.6 1.5 1.7 1.5 0.57 0.58 0.60 0.61 0.49 0.51 0.55
All Bihar 172.6 174.3 172.9 183.1 181.4 171.2 174.1 95.2 103.4 103.5 112.9 88.9 87.5 90.8 0.55 0.59 0.60 0.62 0.49 0.51 0.52
Source: Same as Table-4
103
A little temporal variation is noticed in the yield of lentil. Zone-1 reveals a
noticeable decline of yield from 0.77 MT/Ha in 2003-04, 0.68 MT/Ha in 2004-05 to
0.40 MT/Ha in 2005-06. However, Zone-2 recorded a continuous decline from 0.76
MT/Ha in 2000-01 to 0.48 MT/Ha in 2005-06. Among pulses, moong has recorded
little yield in Bihar but shows a little variation over time period and across climatic
Zones. The yield of moong in each Zone has increased in 2005-06 from that of 2004-05
except a declination of 0.50 MT/Ha in 2004-05 to 0.45 MT/Ha in 2005-06 in Zone-2.
(h) Share of Area, Production and Yield of Pulses:
Table-11 shows the percentage share of area and production of pulses in different
Zones of Bihar. It is revealed that highest percentage of area under arhar cultivation has
been recorded in Zone-1 in each year with decreasing trend such as 65.06 per cent in
2002-03, 60.07 per cent in 2003-04 to 55.67 per cent in 2004-05 but increased to 62.71
per cent in 2005-06. The share of area under gram cultivation is somewhat contrary to
area under arhar cultivation as least share of area under former is observed in Zone-1
while highest share is observed in Zone-3(B). But not a single Zone shows continuous
increasing or decreasing trend. Again Zone-3(B) has reportedly recorded highest
percentage share of area under lentil cultivation, but it shows declining trend from 61.08
per cent in 1999-00 to 58.97 per cent in 2000-01, 57.74 per cent in 2001-02 to 57.23 per
cent in 2002-03, further from 59.87 per cent in 2003-04, to 55.79 per cent in 2004-05 to
55.29 per cent in 2005-06. In contrary to Zone-3(B), percentage share of area under lentil
in Zone-2 shows increasing trend of 7.5 per cent in 1999-00, 8.29 per cent in 2000-01,
8.35 in 2001-02 to 9.01 per cent in 2002-03. After this it declined to 7.17 per cent in
2003-04 then took increasing pace to account 8.18 per cent in 2004-05 and 8.34 per cent
in 2005-06. In the case of moong cultivation, least percentage of area has been recorded
in Zone-3(A) or Zone-3(B) in each year, but highest percentage or area lies either in
Zone-1 or in Zone-2. It is significant that, Zone-3(B) is only agro-climatic Zone that
shows continuous increasing trend of share of area from 1.01 per cent in 1999-00 to 1.97
per cent in 2004-05 then it declined to 1.52 per cent in 2005-06.
104
Table-11
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Percentage Share of Area, Production and Yield of Pulses in
Bihar (1999-00 to 2005-06)
Crops
Agro
Climate
Zones
Percentage Share in Area Percentage Share in Production
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
1999-
00
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06
Arhar
Zone-1 61.9 61.3 64.2 65.1 60.1 55.7 62.7 66.3 66.6 69.3 63.4 62.6 57.9 66.7
Zone-2 4.1 8.6 3.3 3.3 9.1 5.0 3.5 4.3 6.9 2.5 3.4 8.9 4.9 3.1
Zone-3 (A) 7.8 5.4 4.6 5.6 6.4 6.8 7.0 5.9 4.7 3.7 5.3 7.1 8.5 7.5
Zone-3 (B) 26.1 24.7 27.9 26.0 24.5 32.6 26.7 23.5 21.8 24.5 27.9 21.4 28.8 22.7
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Gram
Zone-1 4.2 4.0 3.2 2.9 4.8 4.1 4.0 3.8 3.4 2.8 2.3 4.5 4.4 4.0
Zone-2 4.4 9.5 2.0 1.7 8.2 9.6 4.2 3.4 8.3 1.3 1.0 4.3 9.6 4.2
Zone-3 (A) 19.3 17.4 19.6 20.6 21.4 20.2 22.1 16.8 16.1 15.6 16.3 19.1 16.7 18.7
Zone-3 (B) 72.2 69.0 75.2 74.8 65.6 66.2 69.8 76.0 72.2 80.3 80.4 72.1 69.4 73.2
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Lentil
Zone-1 23.2 24.1 23.7 23.6 23.8 24.9 25.9 19.6 22.1 21.7 16.9 19.7 23.1 14.8
Zone-2 7.5 8.3 8.4 9.0 7.2 8.2 8.3 4.6 6.7 6.5 6.2 4.5 5.5 5.6
Zone-3 (A) 8.2 8.6 10.2 10.1 9.1 11.1 10.5 5.2 9.0 7.5 8.7 8.5 10.4 11.8
Zone-3 (B) 61.1 59.0 57.7 57.2 59.9 55.8 55.3 70.6 62.2 64.3 68.3 67.3 61.0 67.8
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Moong
Zone-1 49.1 45.6 45.0 46.1 48.7 47.3 47.0 48.5 41.6 43.3 41.0 48.9 47.9 53.4
Zone-2 48.1 52.4 52.3 51.3 48.4 49.4 50.4 48.4 56.5 54.0 56.5 48.2 48.8 43.8
Zone-3 (A) 1.8 0.9 1.5 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.1 2.1 0.8 1.4 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.2
Zone-3 (B) 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.5 1.7 2.0 1.5 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.7 2.0 1.6
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: Same as Table-4
It is observed that highest contribution of arhar production is made by Zone-1
followed by Zone-3(B). Though the share of arhar production in Zone-1 is reportedly
increasing from 66.31 per cent in 1999-00 to 66.58 per cent in 2000-01, to 69.34 per cent
in 2001-02, after that started falling to 63.37 per cent in 2002-03 to 62.63 per cent in
2003-04 and 57.90 per cent in 2004-05 then increased to 66.68 per cent in 2005-06. In the
case of gram cultivation, highest share in total production is made by Zone-3(B). Zone-1
shows that the share of gram production declined from 3.78 per cent in 1999-00 to 3.37
per cent in 2000-01 and 2.75 per cent in 2001-02 to 2.28 per cent in 2002-03, then it
increased to 4.49 per cent in 2003-04. But, declined to 4.36 per cent in 2004-05 and 3.97
per cent in 2005-06. Again Zone-3(B) shows highest percentage share of lentil
production in each year with higher fluctuation over the period of time. However, Zone-2
has recorded least share in lentil production in Bihar in each year. In the case of moong
105
production, highest contribution to total state production is made by either Zone-1 or
Zone-2 in each year. But a remarkable continuous increasing trend of share is recorded in
Zone-3(B) by 1.04 per cent in 1999-00 to 1.97 per cent in 2004-05, but declined to 1.62
per cent in 2005-06.
(i) Annual Growth Rate of Area, Production and Yield of Pulses:
Table-12 reveals the growth rate of area, production, and yield of pulses in Bihar
as well as in different Zones over different time period. It is observed that in most of the
time the state has experienced negative growth of area under arhar during 2000-01 to
2001-02 by -5.38 per cent, during 2001-02 to 2002-03 by -8.67 per cent, while during
2003-04 to 2004-05 by -7.76 per cent and during 2004-05 to 2005-06 by -7.05 per cent.
Among the all Zones, only Zone-2, registered a highest average annual growth rate of
22.8 per cent per annum area under the arhar over the study period. It is because of the
higher positive growth of 110.90 per cent in area under arhar during 1999-00 to 2000-01
and 180.46 per cent during 2002-03 to 2003-04 in the Zone-2, while higher negative
growth of -63.88 per cent during 2000-01 to 2001-02, -49.79 per cent during 2003-04 to
2004-05 and -33.67 per cent during 2004-05 to 2005-06 has been recorded in the same
Zone. The state experienced negative growth in area under gram cultivation in most of
the time. Zone-1 has recorded negative growth rate in each year except positive growth of
87.53 per cent during 2002-03 to 2003-04. Similarly, Zone-3(B) has experienced negative
growth of area under gram cultivation in each year except positive growth of 4.18 per
cent during 2001-02 to 2002-03. Area under lentil production shows a very negligible
positive growth of 0.90 per cent in 2000-01, 0.25 per cent in 2001-02, 3.96 per cent in
2002-03 and 4.87 per cent in 2004-05, the area has declined by -4.69 per cent in 2003-04
and -9.35 per cent in 2005-06. Likewise the growth of area under gram cultivation, Zone-
3(B) has recorded negative growth in area under lentil cultivation in each year except a
positive growth of 3.04 per cent in 2002-03. Growth of area under moong cultivation has
recorded inconsistency in each Zone over the time period. But Zone-3 (B) has registered
positive growth in each year except -21.18 per cent growths during 2004-05 to 2005-06.
106
Table-12 further reveals the growth rate of production of different pulses in the
state. The state has experienced a positive growth of arhar production by 10.15 per cent
in 2000-01, but it declined by -19.04 per cent in 2001-02, -9.08 per cent in 2002-03,
further increased by 11.02 per cent in 2003-04 and declined by -8.06 per cent in 2004-05
and -0.32 per cent in 2005-06. A wide variation of its growth rate is observed among
different agro-climatic Zones. In 2001-02, all Zones as well as Bihar as a whole have
experienced a negative growth of arhar production, while all the Zones except Zone-1, in
2002-03 and except Zone-3(B) in 2003-04 has recorded positive growth of its production.
The state has recorded a positive growth of gram production of only 0.24 per cent
in 2000-01, but it declined to 17.55 per cent in 2001-02. Moreover it increased to 10.31 per
cent in 2002-03 and 9.35 per cent in 2003-04, further declined to -22.43 per cent in 2004-
05 and -8.04 per cent in 2005-06. While during 2003-04, all the Zones except Zone-3(B)
and during 2004-05 all the Zones except Zone-2 have recorded positive and negative
growth of gram production. However, Zone-1 has recorded a decline in each year except a
positive growth in 2003-04, and Zone-3(B) also recorded negative growth in each year
except a positive growth of 10.42 per cent in 2002-03. Bihar shows a poor performance of
lentil production. Total production of lentil in Bihar has declined by -4.23 per cent in 2000-
01, -15.40 per cent in 2001-02, but increased to 13.47 per cent in 2002-03 and 2.20 per cent
in 2003-04, further decreased to -17.88 per cent in 2004-05 and -12.17 per cent in 2005-06.
Total production of moong in Bihar has increased by 8.63 per cent in 2000-01, 0.12 per
cent in 2001-02, but decreased in 2003-04 by -21.28 per cent, in 2004-05 by -1.54. During
2003-04, each Zone has experienced negative growth of Moong production.
Growth of yield of arhar has increased by 8.69 per cent in 2000-01, but declined by
-14.44 per cent in 2001-02, -0.44 per cent in 2002-03. During 2001-02, all Zones have
recorded negative growth of arhar yield. The yield of gram has declined by -7.48 per cent
in 2001-02, -3.29 per cent in 2003-04 and -14.97 per cent in 2004-05. In 2005-06 all the
Zones have experienced positive growth in yield of gram. All the Zones have experienced
negative growth of yield of lentil in 2001-02 and 2004-05. The growth of yield of moong has
recorded an increase in each year except in 2003-04. Zone-3(B) has recorded a negative
growth of -20.53 per cent in 2003-04, but positive growth in rest years. Except Zone-2 in
2001-02 and Zone-1 in 2002-03, all the Zones have registered positive growth in yield of
moong.
107
Table-12
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Annual and Average Annual Growth Rate of Area, Production and Yield of Pulses in Bihar
(1999-00 to 2005-06)
Crops Agro Climate
Zones
Growth Rates in Area in Area Growth Rates in Productions Growth Rates in Yields 2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06 AAGR
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06 AAGR
2000-
01
2001-
02
2002-
03
2003-
04
2004-
05
2005-
06 AAGR
Arhar Zone-1 0.3 -0.8 -7.5 -4.8 -14.5 4.7 -3.8 10.6 -15.7 -16.9 9.7 -15.0 14.8 -2.1 10.3 -15.0 -10.2 15.2 -0.6 9.7 1.6
Zone-2 110.9 -63.9 -7.2 180.5 -49.8 -33.7 22.8 79.0 -71.1 25.3 189.4 -49.8 -36.4 22.7 -15.1 -20.0 34.9 3.2 0.0 -4.1 -0.2
Zone-3 (A) -29.7 -20.0 10.9 17.7 -1.1 -4.5 -4.4 -12.5 -35.5 30.0 47.9 9.3 -11.4 4.6 24.4 -19.5 17.2 25.7 10.5 -7.2 8.5
Zone-3 (B) -4.2 6.8 -14.8 -3.0 22.7 -23.6 -2.7 2.1 -9.2 3.7 -14.9 23.9 -21.4 -2.6 6.5 -15.0 21.6 -12.2 1.0 2.9 0.8
All Bihar 1.4 -5.4 -8.7 3.1 -7.8 -7.1 -4.1 10.2 -19.0 -9.1 11.0 -8.1 -0.3 -2.6 8.7 -14.4 -0.4 7.7 -0.3 7.2 1.4
Gram Zone-1 -7.5 -29.6 -4.2 87.5 -22.2 -17.9 1.0 -10.7 -32.8 -8.7 115.6 -24.7 -16.2 3.8 -3.4 -4.4 -4.7 15.0 -3.2 2.1 0.2
Zone-2 110.6 -81.5 -11.3 455.5 6.3 -62.7 69.5 144.1 -86.8 -15.8 360.5 74.6 -60.0 69.5 15.9 -28.7 -5.0 -17.1 64.3 7.3 6.1
Zone-3 (A) -12.4 0.4 9.7 17.6 -14.1 -6.9 -0.9 -3.9 -20.1 15.3 28.1 -32.4 2.9 -1.7 9.7 -20.4 5.2 9.0 -21.3 10.5 -1.2
Zone-3 (B) -7.4 -2.9 4.2 -1.0 -7.9 -10.2 -4.2 -4.8 -8.3 10.4 -1.9 -25.4 -3.0 -5.5 2.8 -5.6 6.0 -0.9 -19.0 8.1 -1.4
All Bihar -3.2 -10.9 4.7 13.1 -8.8 -14.9 -3.3 0.2 -17.6 10.3 9.4 -22.4 -8.0 -4.7 3.5 -7.5 5.4 -3.3 -15.0 8.1 -1.5
Lentil Zone-1 5.0 -1.5 3.6 -3.8 9.7 -5.9 1.2 7.7 -16.8 -11.7 19.3 -3.8 -43.9 -8.2 2.6 -15.5 -14.7 24.0 -12.3 -40.4 -9.4
Zone-2 11.6 0.9 12.3 -24.2 19.5 -7.6 2.1 40.3 -17.7 7.6 -26.3 2.2 -11.1 -0.8 25.7 -18.4 -4.1 -2.9 -14.5 -3.8 -3.0
Zone-3 (A) 5.5 18.8 3.3 -14.3 27.7 -14.4 4.4 67.4 -30.0 31.4 0.2 0.2 0.4 11.6 58.7 -41.1 27.2 17.0 -21.6 17.3 9.6
Zone-3 (B) -2.6 -1.9 3.0 -0.3 -2.3 -10.2 -2.4 -15.7 -12.5 20.5 0.8 -25.6 -2.4 -5.8 -13.4 -10.9 16.9 1.1 -23.9 8.7 -3.6
All Bihar 0.9 0.3 4.0 -4.7 4.9 -9.4 -0.7 -4.2 -15.4 13.5 2.2 -17.9 -12.2 -5.7 -5.1 -15.6 9.2 7.2 -21.7 -3.1 -4.9
Moong Zone-1 -6.2 -2.3 8.5 4.7 -8.2 0.9 -0.4 -6.7 4.1 3.3 -6.1 -3.4 15.6 1.1 -0.6 6.5 -4.8 -10.3 5.2 14.5 1.8
Zone-2 9.9 -1.0 4.0 -6.6 -3.6 3.8 1.1 26.7 -4.2 14.2 -32.9 -0.4 -6.8 -0.6 15.3 -3.2 9.8 -28.1 3.3 -10.2 -2.2
Zone-3 (A) -50.4 70.3 -16.9 3.0 -1.0 -14.4 -1.6 -57.1 75.4 -16.2 -13.1 8.8 -9.0 -1.9 -13.6 3.0 0.9 -15.6 9.9 6.4 -1.5
Zone-3 (B) 13.4 9.5 22.9 18.2 7.6 -21.2 8.4 15.7 12.9 25.1 -5.0 12.3 -14.8 7.7 2.0 3.1 1.8 -19.6 4.4 8.1 0.0
All Bihar 1.0 -0.8 5.9 -1.0 -5.6 1.7 0.2 8.6 0.1 9.1 -21.3 -1.5 3.8 -0.2 7.6 1.0 3.0 -20.5 4.3 2.0 -0.4
Source: Same as Table-4
108
(III) Agricultural Instability in Bihar:
Table-13
Instability Index in Area, Production and Yield of Foodgrains and Non-
Foodgrains during Pre and Post Bifurcation and Over-all Period in Bihar
Description Area Production Yield
Period Pre Post Over-all Pre Post Over-all Pre Post Over-all
Rice 0.20 0.04 0.15 0.32 0.39 0.34 0.22 0.36 0.31
Wheat 0.02 0.03 0.03 0.10 0.20 0.15 0.09 0.18 0.13
Maize 0.40 0.04 0.28 0.60 0.11 0.42 0.23 0.11 0.18
Total Cereals 0.15 0.03 0.11 0.21 0.21 0.20 0.12 0.18 0.17
Barley 0.08 0.14 0.11 0.91 0.15 0.88 0.89 0.07 0.92
Jowar 0.52 0.79 0.74 0.47 0.77 0.68 0.22 0.07 0.18
Bajra 0.81 0.83 0.84 0.83 0.68 0.77 0.07 0.15 0.13
Ragi 0.15 0.13 0.13 0.10 0.22 0.17 0.11 0.22 0.14
Small Millets 0.16 0.52 0.35 0.24 0.55 0.45 0.30 0.77 0.59
T. C. Cereals 0.09 0.12 0.11 0.25 0.15 0.22 0.24 0.08 0.23
Arhar 0.08 0.85 0.54 0.20 1.28 0.82 0.19 0.44 0.32
Gram 0.09 0.10 0.10 0.37 0.17 0.28 0.38 0.12 0.28
Seasamum 0.28 0.11 0.20 0.76 0.13 0.69 0.68 0.08 0.67
Pulses 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.20 0.10 0.16 0.18 0.09 0.14
R & Mustard 0.72 0.04 0.49 0.38 0.14 0.28 0.79 0.14 0.57
Line seeds 0.27 0.15 0.21 0.41 0.12 0.29 0.17 0.04 0.13
Groundnuts 0.39 0.34 0.35 0.29 0.19 0.23 0.17 0.30 0.23
Jute 0.23 0.07 0.17 0.40 0.14 0.28 0.37 0.14 0.28
Measta 0.20 0.36 0.27 0.28 0.39 0.32 0.09 0.15 0.12
Total Fibers 0.22 0.07 0.16 0.40 0.15 0.29 0.34 0.14 0.26
Sugarcane 0.08 0.10 0.09 0.18 0.21 0.19 0.13 0.13 0.11
Fruits 0.02 0.04 0.05 0.39 0.11 0.28 0.39 0.10 0.29
Vegetable 0.01 0.15 0.10 0.30 0.21 0.25 0.31 0.08 0.22
Foodgrains 0.13 0.03 0.10 0.21 0.20 0.20 0.12 0.17 0.16
Non-Foodgrains 0.03 0.08 0.05 0.18 0.12 0.15 0.20 0.06 0.14 Source: Based on data compiled and computed from ministry of agriculture of Bihar, Indiastat.com, CMIE,
Report on Agriculture, Various issues Pre: - Pre-Bifurcation period from 1992-93 to 1999-00, Post: - Post-Bifurcation period: 2001-02 to 2007-08 and Over-
all: - 1992-93 to 2007-08
For calculation, see Appendix-5 (A, B, C, D, E and F).
Note:
1. Foodgrains include: total cereals, total coarse cereals and pulses, and Non-foodgrains comprises rapeseeds and mustard, linseeds, groundnuts, jute, measta, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables. While, area
in thousand hectares (Tha), Production in thousands metric tonnes (TMT) and Yield TMT/Tha. 2. Missing data of area and Production has been interpolated and extrapolated as per the nature of the data
for crops like: Small Millets for the year, 1991-92, seasamum by Y= a+bt formula, while; Area and Production of vegetables has been interpolated for the year 1993-94 and 1994-95 and computed by Y =
a+bt+ct2 formula, and further more small millets for the year 1993-94, 1995-96, 1997-98 and 2000-01
and gram for 1999-2000, Measta for 1992-93, 1993-94 has been interpolated by Yt = Yo (1+r)t
Agriculture growth and instability are the major issues for the development
of agriculture in the country. Agricultural instability particularly in agricultural
production adversely affects the income of the farmers along with the decision to
adopt costlier technologies and investment in agriculture. Apart from this, issue of
109
the instability is also vital for the food management and macro-economic stability
(Chand and Raju, 2009)11
.
(a) Instability in Area:
The variability in area of major crops in Bihar during the pre and post-
bifurcation and for overall periods is presented in Table-13 & Figure-2. Figure-2
reveals that out of twenty crops analyzed, nine crops namely vegetables, fruits, wheat,
pulses, sugarcane, arhar, barley, gram and ragi have shown high stability in their area
during pre-bifurcation period. While the area of rice, jute, lineseeds, seasamum and
groundnuts showed a marginal unstable situation during the same period. It is
important to note that the area under foodgrains is highly unstable as compared to the
non-foodgrains during the pre-bifurcation period.
The relative variability (II) in area of crops under study varied from 0.01 to
0.81 in the state. The highest instability index 0.81 was noted in bajra, while the
lowest instability (0.01) was noted in vegetable crops during the pre-bifurcation
period. Hence, it is evident from the Table & Figure that the area under foodgrains
showed high degree of instability as compared to non-foodgrains during the same
period. Similarly, instability index of area of major selected crops for the post-
bifurcation period (from 2001-02 to 2007-08) has been presented in Figure-2. The
Figure illustrates that arhar, bajra, jowar, small millets, measta, and groundnuts
showed high degree of variability in acreage in the state whereas lineseeds,
vegetables, barley, ragi, seasamum, gram, sugarcane, and jute showed moderate
degree of variability in acreage during the post-bifurcation period.
In comparison to pre-bifurcation period, the relative variability has decreased
in rice, maize, ragi, seasamum, rapeseeds and mustard, lineseeds, groundnuts and jute
during the post-bifurcation period, but it has increased in wheat, barley, jowar, bajra,
sugarcane, fruits, small millets, arhar, measta and vegetables during the post-
bifurcation period. It is important to underline that among all the crops, pulses
clutched stable position in both pre and post bifurcation period.
110
Figure-2
Instability Index of Area under Major Crops during Pre, Post-Bifurcation and
Over-all Period in Bihar
Source: Based on data Compiled and Computed from Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of Bihar, Indiastat.com, and
CMIE, Report on Agriculture, Various Issues.
Alternatively, instability index (II) of the area of major crops for the overall
period (1992-93 to 2007-08) is there in Table-13 & Figure-2. The Table reveals that out
of twenty crops, only three crops namely; wheat, fruits and pulses showed lowest
degree of variability in area in the state during the same period. It is found that, rice,
ragi, barley, gram, pulses, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables have shown moderate degree
of variability in area but six crops namely bajra, jowar, arhar, rapeseeds and mustard,
small millets, groundnuts, maize and measta showed high degree of variability in their
acreage during the same period.
(b) Instability in Production:
The variability in production in major crops in Bihar during pre and post
bifurcation (1992-93 to 2007-08) period of Bihar is presented in Table-13 & Figure-3.
The Figure reveals that from the major agricultural crops only four crops namely; pulse,
fruits, maize and lineseeds showed a lowest degree of variability in production in the
post-bifurcation period. Highest degree of variability was observed in arhar followed by
jowar, bajra, small millets, rice, and measta during the same period. Hence, during the
post-bifurcation period, high degree of variability was recorded in foodgrains as
compared to non-foodgrains in Bihar.
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
Ric
e
Wh
eat
Maiz
e
Tota
l C
erea
ls
Barl
ey
Jow
ar
Bajr
a
Ragi
Sm
all
Mil
lets
T. C
. C
erea
ls
Arh
ar
Gra
m
Ses
am
um
Pu
lses
R &
Mu
stard
Lin
esee
ds
Food
Gra
ins
Gro
un
d N
uts
Jute
Mea
sta
Tota
l F
iber
s
Su
garc
an
e
Fru
its
Veg
etab
le
Non
-Food
gra
ins
Inst
ab
ilit
y I
nd
ex (
I.I.
)
Over-all
Pre
Post
111
Figure-3
Instability Index of Production of Major Crops during Pre, Post-Bifurcation and
Over-all Period of Bihar
Source: Based on data Compiled and Computed from Ministry of Agriculture of Bihar, Indiastat.com, and CMIE,
Report on Agriculture, Various issues.
However, during the overall period, highest degree of variability was recorded
in barley followed by arhar, bajra, seasamum, and jowar, and the lowest degree of
variability was found in wheat followed by pulse, ragi, sugarcane, groundnuts,
vegetable and fruits during the same period. The Figure reveals that the variability in
production of crops, in terms of instability index (II) ranges from 0.15 (wheat) to 0.88
(barley). It is found that variability in barley, gram, rice, maize, vegetables, lineseeds,
fruits, jute and sugarcane showed decline in post-bifurcation period in comparison to
pre-bifurcation period of the state. In contrast, it can be observed from the Figure that
variability in bajra, small millets, jowar, ragi, arhar, measta, ground nuts and wheat
showed increasing trend during the post-bifurcation period as compared to the pre-
bifurcation period.
(c) Instability in Yield:
Instability in yield of major crops during the pre and post-bifurcation (1992-93
to 2007-08) period of Bihar is presented in Table-13 & Figure-4. Lineseeds, jowar,
barley, vegetables, seasamum, pulses, fruits, maize, gram, sugarcane, jute, rapeseed &
mustard, bajra, measta, and wheat show least instability in yield among all the selected
crops during the post-bifurcation period. However, small millets showed maximum
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
1.20
1.40
Ric
e
Wh
eat
Maiz
e
Tota
l C
erea
ls
Barl
ey
Jow
ar
Bajr
a
Ragi
Sm
all
Mil
lets
T. C
. C
erea
ls
Arh
ar
Gra
m
Ses
am
um
Pu
lses
R &
Mu
stard
Lin
esee
ds
Food
Gra
ins
Gro
un
d N
uts
Jute
Mea
sta
Tota
l F
iber
s
Su
garc
an
e
Fru
its
Veg
etab
le
Non
-Food
gra
ins
Inst
abil
ity
Index
(I.
I.)
Over-all
Pre
Post
112
instability in yield followed by arhar, rice, groundnuts, ragi, wheat, measta, and bajra
during the same period. Among the horticulture crops, vegetable showed highest degree
of instability in post-bifurcation period while fruits showed lowest instability during the
same period. The Figure illustrates that out of twenty crops analyzed seven crops were
almost stable namely; sugarcane, measta, lineseeds, bajra, wheat, pulses and ragi but
five crops namely barley, seasamum, small millets, and rapeseeds and mustard showed
unstable yield during the same period. While, arhar, rice, fruits, jute, gram, groundnuts,
vegetables, maize and jowar showed a marginal unstable situation. The degree of
variability in yield of crops under study varied from 0.11 to 0.92 during the overall
period. The highest instability index was noted in barley and lowest variability in yield
was noted in sugarcane during the overall period.
Figure-4
Instability Index of Yield of Major Crops during Pre, Post-Bifurcation and
Over-all Period in Bihar
Source: Based on data Compiled and Computed from Ministry of Agriculture of Bihar, Indiastat.com, and CMIE,
Report on Agriculture, various Issues.
It is noted that variability in the yield of maize, barley, jowar, gram, seasamum,
pulses, rapeseeds and mustard, jute, fruits and vegetables has declined in 2007-08 in
comparison to pre-bifurcation period. In contrast, variability in the yield of rice, wheat,
bajra, arhar, groundnuts, and measta showed increasing trend as compared to the pre-
bifurcation period of Bihar. Interestingly, instability in foodgrains is increasing while in
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
Ric
e
Wh
eat
Maiz
e
Tota
l C
erea
ls
Barl
ey
Jow
ar
Bajr
a
Ragi
Sm
all
Mil
lets
T. C
. C
erea
ls
Arh
ar
Gra
m
Ses
am
um
Pu
lses
R &
Mu
stard
Lin
esee
ds
Food
Gra
ins
Gro
un
d N
uts
Jute
Mea
sta
Tota
l F
iber
s
Su
garc
an
e
Fru
its
Veg
etab
le
Non
-Food
gra
ins
Inst
ab
ilit
y I
nd
ex
(I.
I.)
Over-all
Pre
Post
113
case of non-foodgrains it is decreasing in the pre-bifurcation period of Bihar as
compared to pre-bifurcation period.
3.3 Contribution of Agriculture in Bihar:
The economy of Bihar is in shuffle with GSDP (at 1999-00 price) annual
growth rate of around 4.99 per cent per annum during 1990-91 to 2008-09. During this
period, industrial sector registered highest annual growth rate of 8.30 per cent per
annum followed by service sector (6.45 per cent per annum), agriculture & allied sector
registered a growth of 2.21 per cent per annum. While agriculture sector accounted the
least growth (1.99 per cent per annum) during the same period in Bihar (Table-14).
Table-14
Sector-wise CAGR for NSDP and GSDP of Bihar during 1990-91 to 2008-09 (At 1999-00 Constant Price at Factor Cost)
Periods Agriculture Agro & Allied Industry Service Total
NSDP GSDP NSDP GSDP NSDP GSDP NSDP GSDP NSDP GSDP
Period-I -0.67 -0.50 -0.43 -0.25 2.18 4.17** 4.70* 4.84** 1.99 2.53**
Period-II 2.07 2.21 2.18 2.37 16.95* 15.84* 8.04* 7.98* 7.21* 7.21*
Over-all 1.84* 1.99* 2.04* 2.21* 8.27* 8.30* 6.46* 6.45* 4.78* 4.99*
Source: Based on data compiled and computed from www.mospi.nic.in, Economic Survey of Bihar, 2009-2010.
*At 1 per cent level of significance and ** at 5 per cent level of significance
Note: 1. Period-I: 1990-91 to 1999-00 (Pre-Bifurcation Period of Bihar), Period-II: 2000-01 to 2008-09 (Post-
Bifurcation Period of Bihar), Overall Period: 1990-91 to 2008-09. 2. NSDP and GSDP at both the base year i.e. 1980-81 and 1993-94 (at constant price) have shifted to 1999-2000
prices. And sub-sector mining and querying already had included in primary sector in 1980-81 and 1993-94 prices in original data set which published by CSO, India. Recent year report of CSO (constant prices at 1999-2000 series); mining and querying sector has been shifted from primary sub-sector to secondary sub-sector. Therefore, for the comparative analysis of eastern States of India for the research study, both the earlier series
of this sub-sector has been replaced into secondary sector.
Similarly, annual growth rate of Bihar in terms of NSDP significantly grew up
by 4.78 per cent per annum with industry sector by 8.27 per cent per annum followed
by service sector by 6.46 per cent per annum, agro and allied sector by 2.04 per cent
per annum and agriculture sector by 1.84 per cent per annum during 1990-91 to 2008-
09.
Since after the bifurcation (period-II) of Bihar, the growth rate in terms of both
the GSDP and NSDP recorded a remarkable growth in almost all sub-sectors as
compared to before the bifurcation (period-I) period of the state. Data reveals that after
the bifurcation of Bihar, agriculture and allied sector showed significant rate of growth
by 2.18 and 2.37 per cent per annum in terms of NSDP and GSDP respectively as
114
compared to period-I. In contrast, situation is better in industrial sector, which
witnessed the NSDP growth rate by 16.95 (15.84 per cent GSDP) per cent per annum
during the period-II as compared to 2.18 per cent per annum (4.17 per cent GSDP)
during period-I. Similarly, the service sector in the state also registered a remarkable
growth in terms of both NSDP and GSDP, but it is lower as compared to industrial
sector after the bifurcation of Bihar i.e. in period-II. Among the service sector, three
major sectors contributing high share are construction, communication and trade, hotel
and restaurants.
Figure-5
Sector-wise Annual Growth Rate of NSDP of Bihar (At Constant Price 1999-00 Series)
Source: Based on data compiled and computed from Economic Survey of Bihar, 2009-2010 and CSO, Government of
India, http//www.mospi.nic.in
Consequently, it can be advocated that the highest annual growth rate achieved
by industrial sector rather than service sector which led to development of the
economy in the last two decades. Thus, in the state of Bihar, performance of
agriculture sector is very poor because of the negligence of this sector and expansion
in service sector.
Further it can be observed that in recent past, there has been noticeable
increase in growth rate of Bihar. It should be noted that the annual growth rate of
Bihar reveals wide variation in agriculture sector. The reason for such variation is the
recurrence of two sets of natural disasters like draughts and frequent visit of floods
-14
.77
-9.6
4
3.3
6
16
.81
-22
.31
34
.41
-20
.45
18
.73
-8.5
5
35
.79
-20
.73
25
.91
-17
.67
14
.18
-11
.96
31
.79
-8
.79
12
.5
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
80
19
91
-92
19
92
-93
19
93
-94
19
94
-95
1995
-96
19
96
-97
19
97
-98
19
98
-99
19
99
-00
20
00
-01
20
01
-02
2002
-03
20
03
-04
20
04
-05
20
05
-06
20
06
-07
20
07
-08
20
08
-09
Annual
Gro
wth
Rate
s %
Agro-Allied
Industry
Service
115
which led to steady growth in agriculture and allied sector in the state of Bihar (Table-
14 & Figure-5).
(I) Share of Agriculture in GSDP and NSDP:
The direct contribution of the agriculture sector to the economy of Bihar is
reflected by its share in NSDP as well as GSDP (at 1999-2000 constant prices).
Agriculture and allied sectors including forestry and fishing accounted for 26.51 and
26.16 per cent of total NSDP and GSDP respectively during 2008-09. There has been
a structural transformation in the Bihar economy during the last two decades. The
composition of net state domestic product (NSDP) reveals that the share of agriculture
including allied sector i.e. forestry and fishing has declined as growth in industrial and
service sectors far outpaced agricultural sector (Table-15). The share of industrial
sector (NSDP) has increased from 9.40 per cent in 1990-91 to 17.37 per cent in 2008-
09, this is because of the increase in the share of mining and quarrying,
manufacturing, electricity and construction sector. Similarly, services sector has
increased noticeably from 43.90 per cent to 56.10 per cent during the same period.
Despite a sharp decline of its share in the NSDP as well as GSDP, agriculture is still
an important sector and plays a significant role in the overall socio-economic
development of the state. Therefore, fostering rapid, sustained and broad-based
growth in agriculture remains key priority for the Government. However, the
contribution of agriculture to GSDP (Acharya, 2006)12
, in terms of both levels and
growth rate of yield and output have declined in almost all states of India after the
post-reform period (Bhalla and Singh, 2010)13
.
Table-15
Sector-wise Share in NSDP and GSDP in Bihar (1990-91 to 2008-09) (At 1999-00 Constant Price at Factor Cost)
Periods Agriculture Agro & Allied Industry Service Total
NSDP GSDP NSDP GSDP NSDP GSDP NSDP GSDP NSDP GSDP
1990-91 44.00 44.07 46.70 46.84 9.40 9.70 43.90 42.44 100.0 100.0
1999-00 31.09 30.30 34.36 33.50 11.94 12.62 53.70 53.88 100.0 100.0
2000-01 37.10 35.83 40.10 38.81 9.70 10.69 50.20 50.50 100.0 100.0
2008-09 24.00 23.58 26.51 26.16 17.37 17.79 56.10 56.05 100.0 100.0
Source and Note: same as Table-14.
Despite declining share of agriculture in Bihar, majority of workforce continue
to depend on the agricultural sector for their livelihood and employment, and in rural
areas dependence on agriculture is more than 81 per cent as against the national
116
average of 73.3 per cent in agricultural sector. On the other hand, more than 74 per
cent of workers in the state depend on the primary sector as against 58.4 per cent at
the national level (Appendix-6). However, there is disguised unemployment in the
sector due to limited opportunities for rural non-farm employment. This disguised
unemployment leads to lower labour and resources productivity in the sector relative
to other sectors of the economy. The low labor productivity leads to higher rates of
poverty in rural areas as compared to all India. Although poverty ratio of Bihar is
greater than the national average i.e. 42.1 per cent in NSSO, 61st
round (2004-05), the
data indicates that increased income level simultaneously leads to reduction in
poverty ratio (Appendix-7).
(II) Regional Disparity in Bihar:
It can be observed from the Figure-6 that the per capita income at 1999-
2000 constant prices is the lowest in Bihar as compared to not only eastern states
of India, but also among all other Indian states during the period 1990-91 to 2007-08.
Figure-6 Per Capita Net State Domestic Product of Major Indian States
(2000-01 to 2007-08)
(At 1999-2000, Constant Price)
Source: Data compiled from Planning Commission of India, as on 20th May 2009,
www.planning.nic.in Where: PCNSDP- Per Capita Net State Domestic Product
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
An
dhra
Pr.
Aru
nac
hal
Pr.
Ass
am
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ar
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and
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K
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Ker
ala
Mad
hya
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a
Man
ipur
Meg
hal
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Miz
ora
m
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ssa
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b
Raj
asth
an
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kim
Tam
il N
adu
Utt
ar P
rades
h
Utt
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Wes
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engal
Del
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India
Ru
pees
in C
rore
States
2000-2001
2007-2008
117
Besides being the state with the lowest per capita income (NSDP), Bihar also
suffers from considerable regional disparities within the state. There are small
number of districts where agricultural productivity is reasonably high resulting in
the relatively better-off economic status, otherwise most of the districts are such
where the conditions of the local economy are very poor. This phenomenon of
regional disparity becomes quite apparent when one compares the per capita net
district domestic product (PCNDDP) in various agro-climatic regions in the two
sub-periods, 1999-2000 and 2004-05 in Bihar (Table-16).
Table-16 reveals that the per capita income is the highest in Zone-3(B) region at
Rs. 10502, which is higher than the state average of Rs. 7091 in 2004-05, with highest
rate of growth of 19.7 per cent between the 1999-2000 and 2004-05 followed by Zone-
3(A), Zone-1 and Zone-2 at the sum of Rs. 6559, 5727 and 5423 respectively in 2004-
05. While, Zone-3(A) recorded lowest rate of growth between 1999-2000 and 2004-05.
Thus, service sector dominates over agriculture in climatic Zone-3(B) which is the most
prosperous Zone in the state. It is noticeable from the Tabale-16 that, the service sector
dominates Zones like; Zone-3(B), Zone-3(A), and Zone-1 are more prosperous and
enjoying with higher per capita income as compared to the agriculture and allied sector
dominated Zone like; Zone-2 in 2004-05. Furthermore, per capita income in industrial
sector in the state in almost all regions decelerated drastically between the two periods.
Table-16
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise Per Capita Income of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary
Sector of the Total Per Capita Net District Domestic Product (PCNDDP) of Bihar
(1999-2000 to 2004-05) (In Rupees)
Agro-
Zones Year Agriculture Fishing
Agro-
Allied Industry Service PCNDDP
Zone-1 1999-00 1768 81 1960 815 2350 5124
2004-05 2123 117 2364 646 2717 5727
Zone-2 1999-00 2132 86 2321 511 1943 4776
2004-05 2569 146 2832 442 2150 5423
Zone-3
(A)
1999-00 1434 66 1616 1360 2910 5886
2004-05 1830 104 2056 1000 3503 6559
Zone-3 (B)
1999-00 1760 75 1946 944 5887 8777
2004-05 1667 61 1847 749 7906 10502
All-Bihar 1999-00 1797 79 1986 850 3325 6161
2004-05 2046 105 2272 673 4147 7091 Source: Based on data compiled and computed from Planning Commission of India as on March, 2010
(http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/index.php?state=ssphdbody.htm).
118
Table-17
Agro-Climatic Zone and Sector-wise Ranking of the Per Capita Net District
Domestic Products (PCNDDP) in Bihar (2004-05)
(At 1999-2000 constant Prices)
Zones District Highest/
Lowest Primary Industry Service
Total
PCNDDP
Zone-1 Begusarai H 2327 1699 5128 8346
Sheohar L 1898 276 1275 3315
Zone-2 Katihar H 3090 532 2693 6056
Araria L 2271 444 1676 4173
Zone-3 (A) Munger H 1660 1675 6127 8648
Sheikhpura L 1649 582 2322 4278
Zone-3 (B) Patna H 1272 1072 27912 29758
Nawada L 1596 565 2325 4209 Source: Same as Table-16.
The most prosperous Zone is Zone-3(B) and Patna appears at the top with a
Figure of Rs. 29758, which is enjoying not only highest PCNDDP among all the
districts of Bihar during 2004-05, but it also registered the higher PCNDDP as
compared with the state income Rs. 7091. Similarly, Nawada ladders the lowest with
the Figure at Rs. 4209 (Table-17). It is apparent that Zone-3(A) is the second most
prosperous Zone, with the highest prosperous district Munger having PCNDDP of Rs.
8648, which is higher than the state in the same year. While, Sheikhpura holds the
lowest position in terms of PCNDDP, it registered a sum of Rs. 4278 only in 2004-05.
However, it can be highlighted from the Table-16 that Zone-1 appears to be both
agriculture and service dominated Zone in Bihar. In this Zone, Begusarai has the
highest PCNDDP at Rs. 8346, which is the higher than the state income. On the other
hand, Sheohar has not only the lowest PCNDDP Figure of Rs. 3315, in the Zone-1, but
also is the least prosperous district in the states of Bihar.
Zone-2 is dominated by agriculture and allied activities and is the least
prosperous Zone in the state. In Zone-2, Katihar appears to be the highest prosperous
district with Figure of Rs. 6056, while, Araria at the bottom having per capita income of
Rs. 4173 during the same period (Table-17).
Table-18 shows the agro-climatic Zone-wise and sector-wise average annual
growth rates of NDDP which is computed for the series of 1999-2000, at constant
prices. Table observed that service base subjugated Zone; Zone-3(B) registers highest
average annual growth rate of 6.4 per cent during the period from 1999-2000 to 2004-
05, while, lowest growth rate has been recorded in Zone-3(A) i.e. 5.0 per cent during
the same period.
119
Table-18
Agro-Climatic Zone-wise and Sector-wise Average Annual Growth Rate of Net
District Domestic Product of Bihar (2000-01 to 2004-2005)
(At 1999-2000 Prices) (Rs Lakh)
Zones Agro-Allied Industry Service TNDDP PCI
Zone-1 11.2 -2.1 5.2 6.0 3.5
Zone-2 8.6 -0.4 4.5 5.9 3.4
Zone-3 (A) 7.6 -3.9 5.9 5.0 2.5
Zone-3 (B) 2.2 -2.3 8.4 6.4 2.5
All Bihar 7.5 -2.3 6.8 6.0 2.9 Source: Same as Table-16. TNDDP: Total Net District Domestic Product, PCI: Per Capita Income
On the other hand, in sector-wise performance, Zone-1 has the highest growth
rate of 11.2 per cent in agriculture and allied sector followed by Zone-2, Zone-3(A)
and Zone-3(B) by 8.6 per cent, 7.6 per cent and 7.5 per cent per annum respectively
during the same period. It is noticeable that almost in all Zones growth rate in
industrial sector deteriorated. Similarly, service sector shows a remarkable growth in
the state. Thus, Zone-3(B) appears on the top with 8.4 per cent growth per annum and
Zone-2 recorded a lowest growth by 4.5 per cent during the same period. However,
almost in all regions, per capita income lies between 2.5 to 3.5 per cent per annum.
Zone-1 and Zone-2 have recorded highest growth performance in their per capita
income, while other Zones i.e., Zone-3(A) and Zone-3(B) have the lower growth rate
in their per capita income during the same period.
The composition of NDDP at 1999-2000 constant prices reveals that the share
of agriculture and allied sector; including forestry and fishing and industrial; mining
and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity and construction, has declined from 32.33
per cent and 13.80 per cent in 1999-2000 to 32.04 per cent and 9.48 in 2004-05
respectively as growth in service sector far outpaced agriculture sector in the state
(Table-19).
Thus, it can be illustrated from the Table-19 that agro and allied sector
registered a steady decline as compared to the industrial sector in Bihar. The sharp
decline in the share of industrial sector is because of the decline in growth of
agriculture, which adversely affected the industrial sector especially on the agro based
(food and processing) industries in the state. Similarly, the share of mining and
quarrying, manufacturing, electricity and construction sector has decreased from
13.80 per cent to 9.48 per cent during the period 1999-2000 to 2004-05.
120
Consistent with the trend of economic development at state level, role of
agricultural sector in the agro-climatic Zones in Bihar is also changing rapidly. The
service based Zone; Zone-3(B) dominated its position not only in terms of NSDP but
also in terms of PCNDDP as compared to the rest of the agro-climatic Zones of Bihar
during 1999-2000 to 2004-05. Surprisingly, it is noticeable that the share of industrial
sector has declined almost in all regions between the two periods 1999-2000 and
2004-05, despite being this, Zone-3(A) holds the leading position in the state.
Whereas Zone-2 holds the dominated position in agriculture and allied sectors among
all the Zones followed by Zone-1 and Zone-3(A) by 52.21 per cent, 41.27 per cent
and 31.35 per cent respectively in 2004-05 (Table-19).
Table-19
Zone-wise Percentage Share of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sector in
NDDP of Bihar (1999-2000 to 2004-2005)
Districts Year Agro-Allied Industry Service Total
NDDP
Zone-1 1999-00 38.25 15.90 45.86 100.00
2004-05 41.27 11.29 47.44 100.00
Zone-2 1999-00 48.60 10.71 40.69 100.00
2004-05 52.21 8.14 39.64 100.00
Zone-3 (A) 1999-00 27.46 23.11 49.44 100.00
2004-05 31.35 15.24 53.41 100.00
Zone-3 (B) 1999-00 22.17 10.76 67.07 100.00
2004-05 17.59 7.13 75.28 100.00
All-Bihar 1999-00 32.23 13.80 53.97 100.00
2004-05 32.04 9.48 58.48 100.00 Source: Same as Table-16. Where: NDDP: Net District Domestic Product
3.4 Share of Agriculture in Employment:
The rural agricultural employment is an important tool for reducing poverty
level as well as augmenting the rural income in the state of Bihar. The proportion of
workforce dependence on agriculture has declined after the reform period (Table-20
and 21), The synoptic view of growth in rural employment in farm and non-farm
sectors in Bihar vis-à-vis India between the two periods; viz. 1993-94 to 2004-05,
can be seen from Table-20. The over-all (farm and non-farm) growth in employment
remained almost same both in Bihar vis-à-vis India in both the periods. Further, in
121
Bihar the rural employment growth in agriculture sector has slightly increased by
0.85 per cent during the period 1993-94 to 2004-05. But the rate of growth of
employment in the non-farm sector witnessed a remarkable increase at 6.05 per cent
during the same period. It can also be highlighted that the growth rate in non-farm
sector employment of Bihar was higher as compared to the national level during the
same period.
Table-20
Growth of Rural Employment in Farm and Non-Farm Sectors in Bihar v/s India
(1993-94 to 2004-05)
Gender Bihar All-India
Farm Non-farm Over-all Farm Non-farm Over-all
Male 0.72 5.81 1.71 0.61 3.96 1.59
Female 1.22 7.66 1.86 1.44 3.52 1.75
Total 0.85 6.05 1.76 0.94 3.83 1.64 Source: Kumar, Anjani (2009), “Rural Employment Diversification in Eastern India: Trends and Determinants”
Agricultural Economics Research Review, Vol. 22 January-June, pp. 47-60.
During the post-reform period there was a slight turn down in employment in
primary sector. The snap shot of rural employment within sub-sectors i.e.,
agriculture and allied sector can be observed from the Table-21. The Table depicts
that there is large proportion of rural workers of Bihar still concentrate on
agriculture sector.
Table-21
Percentage Share of Rural Employment of all Workers within Agricultural
Sector in Bihar vis-à-vis India (1993-94 to 2004-05) (In percent)
Primary Sector 1993-94 2004-05
Bihar All-India Bihar All-India
Agriculture 98.60 92.23 96.64 90.26
Forestry 0.01 0.41 0.13 0.54
Animal Husbandry 0.73 6.80 3.04 8.74
Fishing 0.66 0.56 0.19 0.46
Agro & Allied 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
RNF Employment* 13.98 21.62 22.03 27.35 Source: same as Table-20, *Total rural non-farm employment, per cent in total workforce.
In 2004-05, the share of agriculture in employment has decreased to 97 per
cent from nearly 99 per cent in 1993-94. The shift of workforce to allied activities
like; forestry, fishing etc. was highly limited. The share of animal husbandry
surprisingly rose from 0.73 per cent to 3.04 per cent during the same period. While
122
that of fishing dropped from 0.66 to 0.19 per cent in the same period. On the other
hand, share of rural non-farm (RNF) employment in total workforce has increased
consistently over the time from 13.98 per cent to 22.03 per cent in 1993-94 and 2004-
05 respectively. At the all India level also the share of RNF sector employment has
increased drastically from 21.62 per cent to 27.35 per cent respectively during the
same year (Table-21).
Finally, it is obvious from the study that, there has been shift in employment
from farm to non-farm sector during the period of 1993-94 to 2004-05. Therefore,
employment growth in agriculture sector has decelerated during the 50th and 55
th
NSSO round due to declining trend in the real wage at 1999-00 constant price. At the
same time, the employment growth trends witnessed in the agricultural sector has not
been able to inspire confidence after the bifurcation of the state.
3.5 Agriculture and Food Security in Bihar:
Food security is one of the prominent issue and concern at the global and
national level. It has three basic components according the M.S. Swaminathan. “The
first is food availability, which depends on food production and imports. The second
is food access, which depends on purchasing power. The third, food absorption which
is a function of safe drinking water, environmental hygiene, primary health care and
education” (Swaminathan, 2004)14
. Food security refers to the easily access of food
items for all section of the society or country. This ultimately provides the productive
things in the economy like generation of income, healthy life and better workforce in
the economy. In this regard, Government of India has launched numerous schemes
which address this issue like; Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Programme is
helping to enhance the purchasing power to fulfill the basic minimum needs. On the
other hand, to increase the availability of foodgrains Government has taken several
measures like, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security
Mission (NFSM) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) etc.. In spite of all these
schemes, agriculture sector is still very poor to the gamble of monsoon.
In Bihar, the per capita agricultural land is continuously declining from 0.13
hectares to 0.07 hectares in 1980 to 2008 respectively. Similarly, per capita area under
123
irrigated land also showed a declining trend, from 0.05 hectares in 2001 to 0.046
hectares in 2008 (Singh, 2010)15
. Therefore, it can be said that the agricultural inputs
are not favourable for the development of agriculture in the state especially after the
bifurcation of Bihar.
(I) Growth Trend in Population and Supply of Foodgrains:
Table-22 reveals that the foodgrains production in Bihar is continuously
declining after 6th
-7th
(1982-92) Five Year Plans (FYP) and reached to the negative
levels, mainly in North-Bihar due to recurring of floods during the 10th
FYP (2002-
07). During 6th-7
th FYP production of foodgrains was accounted (2.78 per cent per
annum) higher than the growth of population (2.39 per cent per annum), however, it
has declined by 1.72 per cent per annum as against the growth of population by 2.78
per cent during the 8th
-9th
FYP (1992-02). However, production of foodgrains has
further declined by (-) 4.53 per cent per annum as against the population growth of (+)
1.96 per cent per annum during the 10th FYP.
Table-22
Plan-wise Average Annual Growth in Population and Foodgrains Production in
Bihar during 1982-92 to 2007-12 (Per cent per annum)
Period Population Rice Wheat Maize Pulses Foodgrains
1982-92 2.39 1.47 5.47 6.08 (-)0.55 2.78
1992-02 2.78 3.05 1.4 1.08 (-)2.23 1.72
2002-07 1.96 (-)6.26 (-)4.59 2.13 (-)4.73 (-)4.53
2007-12* 1.76 23.74 12.51 11.4 6.32 7.8
Source: Singh, R.K.P. (2009), Advisor, Farmers Commission, Govt. of Bihar.
* Estimated (Projected Growth) during 11th
FYP.
Table-22 reveals that since 8th-9
th (1992-02) FYP the production of foodgrains
declined till the end of the 10th
FYP. Concurrently, the production of foodgrains not
only decreased, but also lowered than that of the annual growth in population in Bihar.
Thus, keeping in view the past performance of agriculture sector in 11th
FYP, the
Government of Bihar planned a roadmap for the development of agricultural and its
allied sectors. In order to achieve this objective, it has fixed the target of investment of
more than Rs. 61 thousand crores.
124
(II) Per Capita Production of Foodgrains:
The per capita production of foodgrains in Bihar observed an increasing trend
and reached to 11.94 Kgs per month (Kgs/month) in 1992 as compared to the 11.57
Kgs/month in 1982. While, after 1992, it starts declining by more than 35.4 per cent
and reached to 7.71 Kgs/month in 2007. Further, it can be observed from the Table-23
that the lowest per capita per month production of foodgrains has been recorded in
2007 over the period of time. It is evident from the Table-23, per capita per month
(PCPM) production of rice, wheat and pulses has constantly declined since 8th
-9th
FYP. However, decline was higher in case of pulses (-57.7 per cent) followed by
wheat (-37.3 per cent), rice (-36.1 per cent) and maize (-12.09 per cent) between 1992
and 2007.
Table-23
Per Capita Production of Foodgrains in Bihar during 1982 to 2012 (In Kilograms/month)
TE-Year Rice Wheat Maize Pulses Total
Foodgrains
1982 5.21 3.66 1.19 1.17 11.57
1992 4.82 4.57 1.55 0.89 11.94
2002 4.93 4.08 1.34 0.54 10.95
2007 3.08 2.86 1.35 0.38 7.71
2012* 6.11 4.28 1.68 0.54 12.68 Source: Based on data collected and compiled from Singh, R.K.P. (2009), Advisor, Farmers Commission, Govt. of Bihar.
*estimated
(III) Per Capita Consumption of Foodgrains:
Table-24 reveals that the per capita consumption of foodgrains in Bihar has
decelerated by (-) 7.2 per cent per month from 14.94 Kgs/month in 1993 to 13.87 Kgs/month
in 2006. While, per capita consumption of rice has decelerated sharply by (-) 9.4 per cent i.e.
from 7.95 Kgs/month to 7.20 Kgs/month followed by wheat (-2.3 per cent) from 5.58
Kgs/month to 5.45 Kgs/month between 1993 and 2006. Thus, the increase in the foodgrains
consumption is much higher than the increase in the total availability of foodgrains during the
same period, As a result, deficiency in foodgrains increased from -5.37 lakh tonnes in
1993 to -25.77 lakh tonnes in 2006 (Ibid). It can be said that the agricultural
productivity requires special attention since demand-supply gaps in basic items such
as wheat, pulses, rice, oilseeds, vegetables and dairy products are growing and with
rising income and growth of the middle-class, demand for such items will exhibit
sustained increase (The Hindu, 2010)16
.
125
Table-24
Per Capita Consumption of Foodgrains in Bihar (1993-2012) (In kg/month)
Year Rice Wheat Total
Cereals Pulses Total Foodgrains
1993 7.95 5.58 14.31 0.63 14.94
2000 7.98 5.27 13.75 0.62 14.37
2003 7.25 6.23 13.93 0.61 14.54
2006 7.20 5.45 13.16 0.71 13.87
2012* 6.32 4.57 12.08 0.74 12.84 Source: NSSO Report No. 404, 409 and 523
*estimated
As per the Planning Commission of India, around 42 per cent of the
population in Bihar is still living below poverty line (BPL). They are not only
suffering from chronic poverty, but also unable to meet their minimum needs as well
as do not afford to take recommended quantity of the diet. This is primarily because
of the very low per capita income in comparison to other states which ultimately led
to decline in consumption of foodgrains.
To conclude, the production of foodgrains in Bihar is very low as compared to the
consumption during 1993 to 2006. On the other hand, the annual average rate of growth of
foodgrains production is lower than the annual increase in the population during 6th to 10
th
FYP. However, if targeted (50 per cent) foodgrains production is achieved, Bihar would have
surplus foodgrains (by 8.6 lakh tonnes (LT)) by 154.21 LT over the consumption of 145.64
LT by 2012 (Ibid).
Alternatively, “malnutrition persists in all parts of the country. Hidden hunger
caused by the deficiency of micronutrients like iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin A and
vitamin B12 is affecting over forty per cent of our population. The most cost effecting
and speedy way for overcoming hidden hunger is by providing horticultural remedies
to nutritional maladies. This can be done through mainstreaming nutrition in the
National Horticulture Mission” (Swaminathan, 2010)17
. Referring to the outlay of Rs.
22,000 crores for the National Horticulture Mission, Dr. Swaminathan said that if the
authorities had only included one home scientist with experience in nutrition in every
district of the country, nutrition could be mainstreamed with the horticulture mission.
This would be the ‘horticultural remedy for nutritional malady’ (The Hindu, 2010)18
.
Finally, it is evident from the study that Bihar has deficit of foodgrains and
annual growth rate of production of foodgrains is lower than the annual growth rate of
126
population. Thus, in this situation, agriculture diversification is the chief option to
achieve not only the goal of food security but also it provides the basic
micronutrients, which is likely to help alleviate the hidden hunger as well as
malnutrition, augment the farm income, generate the additional employment
opportunity, check the soil degradation and enhance the productivity of land.
It is unlikely to achieve a sustainable food security without an increase in
public and private sector investment in infrastructure and market development. Since
a large number of poor farmers live in rural areas with; unsecured food and suffer
from malnourishment, though, there exists a significant agricultural potential, but
fragile soils, frequent floods, low and erratic rainfall distorts the picture. The long
term goals with rapid results may be made inevitable putting items in the development
of plans. The easy availability of incentives for the farmers for restoring degraded
land and identifying their role in agricultural inputs and output markets should be
made certain by the Government on one hand and disengaging itself from the
functions that private sector can perform on the other hand so as to strengthen their
capacity to perform their role in a much better way.
3.6 Summary:
The study shows that, there has been steady increase in the growth rates of area
and production of non-foodgrains after the division of Bihar as consequence of decrease
in the area under almost all cereals, coarse cereals and pulses during post division
period. It has been observed that the Bihar has diversified infavour of horticulture and
commercial crops at very slower rate during the post-bifurcation period. But, it is
important to highlight that the area under foodgrains still occupies more than 86 per
cent of total cropped area due to the traditional cropping pattern as well as traditional
food habits. Therefore, area, production and yield of non-foodgrain crops are more
stable as compared to foodgrain crops in Bihar during 1991-92 to 2007-08.
Among the agro-climatic Zones in Bihar, highest share in area and production
of aghani rice, lineseeds, seasamum, pea, gram and lentil has been found in Zone-
3(B), while bhadai rice, wheat, rapeseeds and mustard, and arhar has been found in
Zone-1. Similarly, highest share of area and production of summer rice and sunflower
127
has been found in Zone-2. Whereas, the highest share of area under moong cultivation
has been found in Zone-2, but its production has not been maintained. As a result,
share of production of moong has been recorded highest in Zone-1.
After the bifurcation of Bihar, the growth rate in terms of both GSDP and
NSDP showed remarkable increase in almost all sub-sectors as compared to pre-
bifurcation period. However, agriculture and allied sector has accounted miserable
growth rate as compared to industrial and services sector. The share of agriculture and
allied sector has declined from 46.70 per cent to 26.51 per cent during 1990-91 to
2008-09. Despite sharp decline of its share in NSDP, agriculture still plays a vital role
in the development of Bihar, and rural areas dependence on agriculture is still more
than 81 per cent as against the national (73.3 per cent) average.
Amongst the agro-climatic Zones of Bihar, the per capita income is highest in
Zone-3(B) which is higher than the state average followed by Zone-3(A), Zone-1 and
Zone-2. The most prosperous Zone in Bihar is Zone-3(B) and within it, Patna appears
at the top. While, in Zone-3(A) and Zone-1, Munger and Begusarai appears most
prosperous districts enjoying highest per capita net district domestic product
(PCNDDP). Zone-2 is dominated by agriculture and allied sector and it is the least
prosperous Zone in the state. In this Zone, Katihar appear to be the highest prosperous
district, while Araria at the bottom is having lowest per capita income.
The rural employment in agriculture sector has merely increased by 0.85 per
cent during 1993-94 to 2004-05. While, rate of growth in the non-farm sector
witnessed a remarkable increase at 6.05 per cent per annum, which indicates that the
rural farm employment in Bihar has declined due to sluggish growth in agriculture
sector as well as decline in the real wage. In this situation agriculture diversification is
the only tool which can play a vital role as a remedy of these constraints.
128
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