The Hindu Business Line : Agri workshop in Hyderabad calls for relaxation of tenancy laws

A SENIOR agricultural economist has called for relaxation of tenancy laws in order to encourage those who are interested in taking up agriculture seriously.

The major hurdle has been the ownership question. "If ownership is protected, more and more people will come forward to give land," Prof. S. Subrahmanyam, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), said.

Addressing a group of journalists and agriculturalists at a workshop here on Friday, he said agricultural growth in the post-reform eras had declined.

"While the overall economy grew, growth in agriculture has decelerated. This means that rural-urban inequalities were going up," he said.

The two-day workshop on `Agriculture and rural indebtedness' is being organised by the Press Institute of India and the Department of Journalism of Osmania University.

Assessing the performance of agriculture and allied sectors during the pre and post-reform decades, Prof. Subrahmanyam said agricultural growth rate had come down from 3.24 per cent to 2.66 per cent. The deceleration in agricultural and allied sectors was widespread.

In the pre-reform period, all but four States (Bihar, Gujarat, Orissa and Jammu and Kashmir), recorded growth rates above two per cent.

In the post-reform era there was a steep decline in growth all the States. Karnataka, whose growth rate had gone up to five per cent from three per cent. In exports, share of agriculture in overall exports had gone down from 19 per cent to 13.5 per cent.

Dr Y. Sivaji, former Member of Parliament, pointed out that the Governments focussed on the supply side, while addressing issues related to agricultural sector, missing out the demand side.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Inflation up on costlier manufactured items

Spot rubber prices steady

First winner of `Gold Deepam' prize from Bangalore

Centre may set up Rs 400-cr special fund for tea industry — Kamal Nath says it's only a one-off package

Egg exporters cash in on avian flu fears — Disease-free poultry farming helps gain advantage in global market

Packaging material shortage hurts

Agri workshop in Hyderabad calls for relaxation of tenancy laws