Dynamics of Major Food Crops Production in North Eastern Region of India

The rapid increase in the world population has made it challenging to meet global food demand, which is projected to increase by 59 per cent to 102 per cent by the year 2050 (Jerzak & Śmiglak-Krajewska, 2020). Thus, increasing agricultural production is essential to achieving global food security (Porkka et al., 2013). Agriculture, a vital sector of the Indian economy, has undergone considerable transformation over the years, helping the country move from a severe food crisis to self-sufficiency in food grain production (Kumari et al., 2020). The North Eastern Region of India has also increased total food grain production through the adoption of high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of paddy, quality seed materials and the timely supply of improved seeds (Roy et al., 2015). The present study was undertaken to examine the dynamics of major food crop production in the North Eastern region of India with the following objectives: (1) To study growth and instability in the area, production and productivity of major food crops in North East India. (2) To estimate the contributions of area and productivity to increased production of major food crops in North East India. Secondary time-series data on the area, production and productivity of food grains and oilseeds in North East India for the period 2001-02 to 2020-21 were collected from various published sources. The study period was divided into two phases, i.e. 2001-02 to 2010-11 (Phase I) and 2011-12 to 2020-21 (Phase II). The compound annual growth rate (CAGR), Cuddy-Della Valle Index (CDVI) and decomposition analysis were used. For food grains, Manipur recorded the highest Phase I CAGR for area (3.30 per cent), whereas Arunachal Pradesh recorded the highest Phase I CAGRs for production and yield (3.77 per cent and 3.10 per cent, respectively). For oilseeds, Tripura recorded the highest Phase II CAGRs for area and production, i.e., 17.81 per cent and 21.68 per cent, respectively, whereas Manipur recorded the highest Phase I CAGR for yield (5.31 per cent). During Phase I, high instability was recorded in Mizoram for food grain production and productivity. For oilseeds, high instability was recorded in Manipur for area and production, Nagaland for area, and Mizoram for production and productivity. The yield effect made the largest contribution to the change in production of both food grains and oilseeds across the North East, at 101.26 per cent and 324.46 per cent, respectively.