Lok Sabha Question No. 1412 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-12
Subject: Shifting of Cultivation towards Cash Crops
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: DILIP PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1412

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12 TH  FEBRUARY, 2019

## SHIFTING OF CULTIVATION TOWARDS CASH CROPS

## 1412.  SHRI DILIP PATEL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether farmers are shifting from cultivation of oilseeds and pulses to cotton and maize and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (b) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  this  shift  towards  cash  crops  is  because  of  lower  MSPs  of oilseeds and pulses in the mandis, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) if so, the plans of the Government to control this migration which may result in scarcity of oilseeds and pulses; and
- (d) the  details  regarding  rejuvenation  of  the  National  Food  Security  Mission  and  the National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): No,  Madam.  There  is  no  evidence  of  farmers  shifting  from  oilseeds  and  pulses  to  cotton  and maize. Most of the area of oilseeds and pulses are cultivated under rainfed conditions. Therefore, the area under oilseeds fluctuates due to shortage of moisture, prolonged dry spells and less rainfall. Area under oilseeds  is  stagnating  between  24  to  26  million  hectares  annually  while,  pulses  area  has  shown  an increasing trend as per details given below:

(Million hectare)

| Year     |   Oilseeds |   Pulses |   Cotton |   Maize |
|----------|------------|----------|----------|---------|
| 2014-15  |      25.6  |    23.55 |    12.82 |    9.19 |
| 2015-15  |      26.09 |    24.91 |    12.29 |    8.81 |
| 2016-17  |      26.17 |    29.45 |    10.83 |    9.63 |
| 2017-18* |      24.65 |    29.99 |    12.43 |    9.47 |

The area under cotton is stagnant at about 12 million hectares and of maize at 9 million hectares over the last four years.

(b) & (c): Does not arise.

- (d): National Food Security Mission (NFSM) was launched in the year 2007 has been re-vamped with effect from 2018-19.

National  Mission  on  Oilseeds  and  Oil  Palm  (NMOOP)  has  now  been  subsumed  in  NFSM  as NFSM-Oilseeds and Oil Palm from 2018-19.

Currently,  NFSM  has  eight  components  viz  (i)  NFSM-Rice,  (ii)  NFSM-Wheat,  (iii)  NFSMPulses,  (iv)  NFSM-Coarse  Cereals  (Maize,  Barley),  (v)  NFSM-Sub  Mission  on  Nutri  Cereals,  (vi) NFSM-Commercial  Crops, (vii) NFSM-Oilseeds and Oil Palm and (viii) NFSM-Seed  Village Programme. The pattern of assistance of the interventions have been revised especially on demonstrations, purchase of breeder seeds, production of foundation & certified seeds and distribution of certified seeds of different crops. Seed Hubs and Breeder Seed programme on pulses, oilseeds and nutri cereals have been included. The re-vamped guidelines of NFSM are under implementation since 2018-19.