Problems faced by Farmers in India

Indian farmers are facing the worst economic condition last few years. Government has declared a lot of help
to address this issue, but the help does not reach them at all.
Our country depends mainly on agriculture as 67% of the populations are farmers. Of the 67%, majorities
own less than a hectare, or use the land of others. This indicates that the total expenditure exceeds their
income, which results in poor economic condition.
In India 43% of land is used for agriculture. Farming contributes only 18% to the nations GDP. This is an area
of big concern for India. Some of the reasons are illiteracy, good extension services and poverty.
Another major problem faced by Indian farmers is their dependency on nature and poorly maintained
irrigation systems. Current agricultural practices are neither economically nor environmentally sustainable,
which makes the agricultural commodities very low.
Where does the problem arise for Indian farmers? Is it with land or irrigation or quality seeds or storage
facilities or price of the produce? All these factors must be considered and taken into account.
Lets see in detail how the factors contribute to the problem.
Small Holding: The inheritance law has led to small sized land holdings. This is a major issue as the
expenditure for the land exceeds the income earned.
Lack of storage facilities - According to ASSOCHAM, about 30-40% of Indias horticultural produce, roughly
worth Rs 35,000 crore, gets wasted every year due to lack of cold storage facilities.
Inadequate price realization - Marketing is one of the major hurdles faced by our farmers. Middlemen earn
a lot by exploiting outdated laws.
Seeds: Blame it on ignorance, corruption, poor laws and law enforcement, often farmers get delayed with
uncertified seeds, low-grade fertilizers and false pesticides that often lead to total crop loss.
Manures, Fertilizers, & Biocides: Indian soils have been used for growing crops over thousands of years
without caring much for replenishing. This has led to depletion and exhaustion of soils resulting in their low
productivity.
Impact of climate change: Global warming and climate change have made it less predictable when to sow
and when to harvest. Unseasonal rain, sleet, drought, mist or wind eventually leads to crop failures.
Irrigation: In Our country only one-third of the cropped area is under irrigation. Being a tropical monsoon
country where rainfall is uncertain, unreliable and erratic, to achieve sustained progress in agriculture more
than half of the cropped area should be brought under assured irrigation.
Soil Erosion: Large tracts of fertile land suffer from soil erosion by wind and water. This area must be
properly treated and restored to its original fertility.
Agricultural Marketing: Agricultural marketing continues to be in a bad shape in our country. Farmers
depend upon local traders and middlemen for the disposal of their farm produce which is sold at throw-away
price.
Scarcity of capital: Agriculture also requires capital, as their capital is locked up with lands and stocks, they
are forced to borrow money for agricultural production.
Lack of Mechanization: Very little mechanization of farming has happened in some parts of the country.
Most of the farmers are poor and do not have enough resources to purchase modern farm tools. This
hampers the development of agriculture.