Changing cropping pattern and food economy of Kerala
Venkiteswaran, S.
Agricultural Situation in India 39(1): 9-13
1984
Document Number: 325354
Self sufficiency in food grains has been one of the objectives of planning in Kerala. However, at no time during the Plan era has the state been able to reach anywhere near its goal. With the rapid growth in population, this objective of self sufficiency has increasingly receded. The deficit in food grain production in Kerala is about 55% of its requirements. The main reason for this chronic deficit is that more than 50% of the cultivated area is allotted to the production of commercial crops. The study: (1) examines the a priori reason for conversion of paddy fields to other crops, especially coconut gardens; (2) forecasts the a posteriori probabilities of the process of conversion of paddy fields; and (3) evaluates the resultant long term impact in the food and agricultural economy of Kerala.