Government determined to sustain 4% Farm growth over long term

Agriculture Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar today re-affirmed government's determination to sustain the growth trend of 4% in agriculture, not only in the short-term, but also with a medium to long-term perspective.

Addressing the Economic Editors' Conference here, he informed that the average growth rate of farm sector during the last two years has been more than 4%. "Investment in agriculture has also shown a rising trend in these two years. Market reforms have started providing a better opportunity for the farmers to realise higher prices. The extension which had not been satisfactory seems to be reaching to the farmers. Credit availability has more than doubled in the last three years and irrigation expansion programmes have been taken up in a more focussed manner," he said.

"Despite several odds, a revival in the sector in the past two years is quite evident," Shri Pawar said and highlighted some landmarks that have been reached during 2006-07: "The record production of 216 million tonnes of food grains, 22.7 million bales of cotton and 345 million tonnes of sugarcane restores our confidence that we have the potential to meet the challenges. The encouraging response to the initiatives under the National Horticulture Mission, including that in the north-eastern region, micro irrigation, market reforms and extension reaffirms our commitment towards a more remunerative and efficient agriculture."