MAPPING THE COST OF CULTIVATION OF PADDY AND WHEAT IN INDIA: AN ANALYSIS OF CACP DATA

Abstract

The analysis of CACP data show that CoC of paddy and wheat has increased enormously during the period 2006-07 to 2018-19. Although, the fixed and the operational (paid out) costs both have increased, but the later one have witnessed rapid acceleration. The relentless increase in paid out costs are due to two main reasons: first, the rollback of the State from providing cheaper farm inputs to farmers; and subsequently, second, increasing role of private operators in production and distribution of farm inputs which largely control the supply and prices of these inputs. This increase in CoC does not coincide with the increase in farm incomes of the farmers leading to aggravate the agrarian as well as rural crisis to a large extent in India.