Expressing concern over the low growth rates from Agriculture and Allied Sectors in Haryana and Punjab, the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) has said that it should be a matter of concern for policy makers of the states.

The CACP in its Price Policy for Kharif Crops for the Marketing Season (KMS) 2017-18, has revealed that the Gross Value Added (the measure of the value of goods and services produced in a sector) from the agriculture and allied sectors grew at the rate of 2.3 per cent between 2011-12 and 2014-15, however, Haryana (0.1 per cent) and Punjab (0.4 per cent) have recorded very low growth rates and it should be a matter of concern for policy makers.

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According to the CACP, against the national average of 4.4 per cent growth rate, states like Haryana (0.1 per cent) Punjab (0.4 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (0.4 per cent), and Bihar (-0.9 per cent), despite the agriculture and allied sectors in these states contribute more than 20 per cent to total Gross State Value Added (GSVA).

The CACP also remarked that the states of Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh, beneficiaries of green revolution, are still dependent on traditional crops, mainly rice and wheat, in which there is low yield growth, so efforts are needed for crop diversification.

While the states of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu registered more than five per cent growth during the same period. Ten states experienced more than all-India average growth while four states registered negative growth rate.

Not only this, the Commission has also revealed that Haryana is the only state in the country that has recorded no increase in cotton productivity in during last ten years while all other states recorded an increase ranging from about 3.3 per cent in Punjab to 53.3 per cent.

When contacted a senior Haryana Agriculture officer said that the state government is aiming to ensure increase in agricultural and allied sector productivity through crop diversity and peri-urban farming.

He also said that the state government would prepare its farmers to adopt the concept of Peri-urban agriculture on the pattern of China's Beijing wherein peasants to be motivated to grow fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers to meet the needs of Delhi markets.

The government had adopted a multi-pronged strategy and accelerated its targets for different sectors to achieve the target of doubling the income of farmers by 2022, which requires annual growth of 10.41 per cent in the income of the farmers, he added.