Sustainable agricultural development and pattern of domestic consumption expenditure of Punjab farmers

Abstract

This paper analyses the pattern and magnitude of consumption of different categories of farmers in various agro-climatic zones of Punjab. No doubt, the technological advancement raised the farm productivity but the sustainability of agricultural development process poses a question mark on the level and pattern consumption expenditure of the Punjab farmers. Based on a study of 175 farmers from the three zones of Punjab during the year 2010–11 it was observed that an average farm family in the state spent ‘124336 per annum for domestic consumption purposes of which about 59 percent was spent on food items. This was 1.25 times the amount on nonfood items. The per capita domestic consumption expenditure of the rural households in the state was ‘18107 per annum. Majority of the farm families (47 percent) appeared in the expenditure group of above ‘100000 having an average expenditure of ‘159156 in the state. The comparison at the extreme ends of the various expenditure groups exhibits wider disparities. The larger farmers incurred more expenditure on non-food items whereas the smaller farmers spent a larger proportion of income on food items.