Growth and Instability of Principal Food Crops in India and Tamil Nadu

The study intends to investigate the growth and instability of major food crops in India and Tamil nadu. It also encompassed to analyse the changes in production due to area, yield effects and relative efficiency of crops. The production of Paddy; prominent food crops in Tamil Nadu, had increased only 0.8 percent. Hence, it needs attention of the policymakers to extend the area under cultivation of Paddy on par with the growth of population to avoid food shortages. Growth of production of Cholam (Jowar), Ragi, Cumbu (Bajra) and Maize had 5.2 percent, 2.5 percent, 6.2 percent and 6.6 percent respectively. In terms of area, least growth rate of ragi had relatively highest instability index. Paddy, Cumbu and Maize had area growth rates of 1.24 percent, 3.67 percent and 2.56 percent respectively but less instability. Maize crop had highest growth rate of yield, followed by ragi and cumbu. Negative yield rates had shown paddy and cholam. Both highest growth rate of maize and least growth rate of cholam had highest instability rates of 29.18 and 34.74 in the index values. At all India level, the instability index had less than 15 which implied lower instability. Decomposition analysis in Tamil Nadu revealed that acreages responses are more for changes in production except Ragi crop. At all India level, the production of paddy interms of Rice, Bajra and Maize had positive growth rates of 1.8 percent, 0.9 percent and 3.9 percent respectively. During the same period, the Cholam and Ragi had declined at -3percent and -2 percent respectively. Decomposition anslysis shows that yield effects are more for Rice, Jowar and Maize and for Bajra and Ragi area effects are more for changes in the production. Despite the compound growth rate of area had highest in Cholam, followed by Cumbu and Maize, the relative efficient area in terms of production had highest in Maize followed by Paddy and Ragi. Least efficiency had shown for Cholam.