However, this success story hides a larger worry on the agricultural front. The hare of agriculture sector in GAP has declined from around 35 per cent in 1990-91 to around 27 per cent in 1999?2000 and further to merely 18. 5 per cent during 2006-07. The annual average growth rate for the agriculture sector was merely 3 per cent in the first five years of the new millennium. Thus, the agriculture sector is proving to be a drag on the economy. With more than half the population depending directly on this sector, low agricultural growth has serious implications.
Further, the food grains production is actually declining which can have its own impact on the food security of the country. Against this background, the state of Briar is being talked about as a sleeping giant of Indian agriculture. The National Commission on Farmers has concluded that Briar and Eastern India present uncommon opportunities for becoming another “fertile crescent” even as the present fertile crescent (Punjab, Harlan and Western Attar Pradesh) have reached a state of economic and ecological distress.
Water, the lifeline of agriculture, is abundant in Briar and the real issue is not availability but management. FOOD PROCESSING While tapping potential of untapped states can achieve increased production, or the agriculture sector to be revivalists the growth of food processing industry has to be ensured. The food processing industry can address the key issues of wastage and value addition and attract new investment in the sector. Global experiences indicate that agriculture development in the country can be given a big boost by the growth of agro and food processing industries.
India currently produces about 50 million tone of fruits, which is about 9 per cent of the world’s production 8 Food Processing in Briar: The Road Ahead Of fruits and 90 million tone Of vegeTABLEs, which accounts for 11 per cent Of the world’s vegeTABLE production. However, only about 2 per cent of the fruits and vegeTABLEs in India are processed, which is very low compared to countries like the LISA, China and others. Lack of processing and inadequate storage of fruits and vegeTABLEs result in huge wastage.
Currently, the Indian food processing sector employs about 13 million people directly and about 35 million people indirectly. In 2004-05, food processing sector contributed about 14 per cent of manufacturing GAP with a share of RSI core. Of this, the inorganic sector accounted for more than 70 per cent of production in terms of volume and 50 per cent in terms of value. AGRICULTURE: LIFELINE OF BRIAR Even as the state of Briar is being talked of as the next big hope for agriculture sector in the country, this sector also remains the most crucial factor for the state economy.
Degree of dependence of Briar on agriculture in term of employment as well as income is much higher than the national level and the current share of agriculture in the Gross State Domestic Product (GODS) and employment is similar to that of the county just after independence. Food production and processing contribute more than 55 per cent to the GODS employing over 80 per cent of the work force (agriculture alone over 76 per cent). Briar ranks 1 lath of the 15 major states in terms of social and economic infrastructure.
Annual Survey of Industries reveals that only about 1,500 industries are operating in the state (2003-04) or 1. 13 per cent of the total industries all over India. The manufacturing sector contributes just 3. 31 per cent to the GODS. The division of Briar in 2000 was a big blow for the state as almost all major mineral producing regions became part of state of Shorthand. In such circumstances, agriculture and food processing remain almost the only hope for the state to catch up with the rest of the country.
There are several factors that favor agriculture sector in Briar. The state is now uniquely positioned to utilities its rich untapped natural resources such as fertile soils and abundant water. More importantly, it can avail of the benefits of increasing stress on the food processing sector at the national level. This can give the state at least a level playing field, if not a head start, in food processing provided certain critical interventions are undertaken.
As a consumer, Briar with a population of 83 million and a population growth of about 2. 43 per cent per annum, is a large and growing market for food rodents. Food is the single largest component of private consumer expenditure, accounting for as much as 59 to 65 per cent of the total. At a conservative estimate, the current market for food in Briar is a whopping 9 RSI 40,000 creel of which the processed food market including beverages is estimated at close to RSI 1 8,000 core.
