Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Briefly introduce the concept of cropping patterns and their importance in agriculture.
• Discuss the various factors that influence cropping patterns, including environmental, economic, and social factors.
• Conclude by summarizing the key points discussed in the answer.

Introduction

Changes in cropping patterns reflect the evolving demands of consumers, market dynamics and economic factors and are closely associated with changing consumption pattern and marketing dynamics.

Body

Changing market conditions influencing cropping patterns

• Improved market access through better road and rail connectivity has expanded market access for farmers and thus, in turn, fuelled cultivation of certain crops.
• Availability of international markets for certain crops like Alphonso mango, basmati rice, etc. has led to their increased cultivation.
• Government initiatives like Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism incentivize the farmers to grow the crops covered under it.
• The National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) was launched to provide for better price discovery and easy accessibility of market for the crop growers.

Changing consumption pattern influencing cropping patterns

• With rising income and urbanization, there is rising demand for protein-rich foods, fruits, vegetables, dairy, poultry, etc.
• Increased health consciousness has led to higher demand for organic and nutrient rich foods.
• With the rise in demand for chemical-free food, growth in hydroponics and aeroponics crops, has led to an increase in demand for exotic food.

Conclusion

Change in cropping patterns are shaped by complex factors, including consumer preferences, market conditions, government policies, technological advancements, among others.