the paddy farm sector in Kerala, the post formation era of the state can be broadly divided into
two distinct periods - first, the period prior to the mid seventies and second, the period after the mid seventies. During the first period both the area and yield effects had been positive and hence the state’s rice production had also showed positive growth trends. However, even though the yield effect
continued to be positive, the negative area effect had become more prominent during the second period. As a result of it, rice production began to show negative growth rates in the state since the mid seventies. Area, production and productivity of rice in Kerala during the period 1960-61 to 1999-2000 are given in table. During the decade 1960-61 to 1969-70 area under paddy crop in Kerala rose from 778.91 thousand to 874.04 thousand hectares showing
an overall increase of 12.21 percent and an annual compound growth rate of 1.29 percent. The positive growth trend in area continued till the mid seventies. However, within the period
1974-75 to 1999-2000 area under the crop in the state declined from 881.47 thousand to 349.77 thousand hectares registering an aggregate loss of 531.7 thousand hectares. The annual compound growth rate in area during this period is estimated to be – 3.63 percent. A more or less similar trend pattern is discernible in the state’s rice production also. Domestic production of rice in Kerala attained its peak level in 1972-
73 when the state produced 13.76 lakh tonnes. In spite of a sharp decline
in output during the next year, the state was able to maintain almost the same level of production till the mid seventies. During the period 1974-75 to production of paddy declined from 13.33 lakh to 7.71 lakh tonnes showing an aggregate decrease of 42.16 percent. The annual growth rate in production during this period is found to be – 2.17 percent per year. Again, it can be seen that compared to the eighties the average annual rate of decline in area and production of paddy in Kerala had become more severe during the nineties.
Inmost of the years during the last four decades, per hectare rice productivity in Kerala had shown positive annual growth rates. Between 1960-61 and 1999-2000 productivity of the crop in the state recorded an overall increase of 68.55 percent registering an annual growth rate of 1.35 percent. Compared to the first period (1960-
61 to 1974-75), the annual growth rate in productivity is
found to be higher during the second period (1974-75 to 1999-2000). While during the first period rice productivity had increased from 1371 kilograms to 1513 kilograms per hectare showing an annual growth rate of 0.71 percent, the corresponding growth rate during the second period is found to be 1.51 percent. The relatively better average annual rice productivity during
Share with your friends: 
