Shifts in cropping pattern in Kerala

Abstract

The present study analyses The Shifts in Cropping Pattern in Kerala by applying the decomposition technique to determine the components of total factor productivity growth and output growth with the help of time series data for Kerala Economy as a whole and district wise for a period of 30 years from 1974-75 to 2003-04 and for three sub periods viz. Period I (1974-75 to 1980-81), Period II (1981-82 to 1991-92) and Period III (1992-93 to 2003-04). The analysis is based on secondary data collected for the State and fourteen districts for major 12 crops- Rice, Tapioca, Coconut, Rubber, Pepper, Cashew nut, Areca nut, Plantains including banana, Cardamom, Coffee, Tea and Ginger- from Statistics for Planning and Economic Review of Government of Kerala. The total factor productivity is decomposed into pure yield effect, pure and interaction effects of cropping pattern and pure and interaction effects of locational effect. The output growth is decomposed into three pure effects viz. yield effect, cropping pattern effect and area effect. The study analyses the trends in area, production and productivity by using exponential trend and applied Herfindahl Index for crop diversification. The findings shows that yield effect and locational effects are the major factors influencing productivity growth and yield effect determines the output growth in the State. Cropping pattern effect is positively related to output growth in Kannur and Alappuzha districts due to shifting of area under food crops to non-food crops and non- agricultural purposes whereas yield effect is the dominant factor in other districts. Positive growth rates in area have been reported in the case of coconut, rubber, pepper, areca nut, plantains and coffee. Productivity growth rates of all crops are positive while negative production growth rates are reported in the case of rice, tapioca and cashew nut. Reason for negative production growth rates can be attributed to reduced area under cultivation.