Department of Agriculture, Chhattisgarh

Varied ecological condition enables cultivation of various crops in different parts of the state. As per the census 2001, 83 % of the population of the state in engaged in Agriculture & allied sector, it reveals that Agriculture is still the backbone of state’s economy.

Table 1 : Population depending on Agriculture, as per census

S. No.	Particular	1991	2001
1	Cultivators	4230	3488
2	Agriculture Laborers	1710	1552
3	House hold industries	108	159
4	Other Workers	1369	1855
5	Marginal Workers	792	2626
	Total Workers	8399	9680

Sufficiency in food production-

Though the productivity level of al1 food grains in the state is lower-than the national average (see Table 2), the total production of food grains in the state is higher than the state requirement (see Table 3) except in oilseeds.

Table 2 : Comparison of the productivity levels of different crops in Chhattisgarh state to national level productivity -

S. No.	Crop	State Yield (Kg./Ha.)	National Yield (Kg./ha.)
1	Rice	1455	2077
2	Wheat	1024	2713
3	Maize	1370	2039
4	Gram	713	813
5	Tur	603	672
6	Soybean	882	1210
7	Rape & Mustard	412	1151

Table 3 : Relative status of production of different cereals, pulses and oilseeds in Chhattisgarh-

S.No.	Crops	Total Requirement	Availability	Surplus/Deficit
1	Cereals	3802205	I 5648550	+ 1846345
2	Pulses	532177	578670	+ 46493
3	Oil seeds	380338	127010	- 253328

               During Xth Five Year Plan the growth rates of area, production and productivity of all important kharif and rabi crops have been worked out. During kharif season the growth rate of the area of rice was decreased by 4 % because of the intensive crop diversification programme adopted by the state government. The decrease in the area of rice could be seen as an increase in area of other crops like tur, urd, soyabean, niger etc. in the state. In rabi season the growth rate of area of all crops increased but with a slow pace. The increase in the growth rate in the area of rabi crops is also due to the intensive efforts of the state government for increasing the double cropped area. Increase in irrigation sources through different schemes of state Govt., played major role to increase the double cropped area.
              In 10th plan, area of Rice was decreased by 4 % in comparison to 9th plan, whereas overall acreage under kharif cereal crop was decreased by 3 % in 10th plan in comparison to 9th plan and 81 % & 111 % increase in acreage of pulses & oilseed respectively. Total production was increased by 7 % in 10th plan in comparison to 9th plan. Increase of 39 % in fertilizer use was noticed in 10th plan. Area under assured irrigation (by tube well) was increased by 253 % in 10th plan.
             For 11th plan it is targeted to increase Rice area, production & productivity by 1 %, 31 % & 133 % respectively in kharif. For pulses & oilseeds an increase of 30 & 60 % area and 58 % & 101 % in production is targeted respectively. A target to bring 1.04 lakh ha. area under assured irrigation is fixed for 11th plan. By all the above increase it is estimated that cropping intensity will reach at level of 143 % at end of 11th plan.