I.
—In year 2016-17, harvest and post-harvest loss of
India’s major agricultural produce was estimated at Rs
92,651 crore ($13
billion) - almost three times as high as the 2016-17 budget for the agriculture
sector. About 16 percent of
fruits of vegetables, valued at Rs 40,811 crore ($6 billion), were lost between 2012 and
2014.
—Poor access to reliable and timely market
information for the farmers, absence of supply & demand forecasting, poorly
structured and inefficient supply chains, inadequate cold storage facilities
and shortage of proper food processing units, large intermediation between the
farmers and the consumers are some of the major causes for the losses.
II.
—One of the biggest issues facing the
agricultural sector in India is low yield: India’s farm yield is 30-50% lower
than that of developed nations.
—Average farm size, poor infrastructure,
low use of farm technologies and best farming techniques, decrease of soil
fertility due to over fertilization and sustained pesticide use, are leading
contributors to low agricultural productivity. Indian farms are small (70%
are less than 1 hectare, the national average is less than 2 hectares) and
therefore have limited access to resources such as financial services, credit
(or lenders), support expertise, educational services or irrigation
solutions.
In the short-term, yield directly impacts a farmer’s cash flow and the ability
to respond to fluctuations in the market. Long-term, yield limits a farmer’s
ability to invest into their farm’s future to increase productivity
and decrease risks associated with their crops (via inputs such as seeds,
fertilizer, crop insurance, market/weather info, livestock health support,
etc.) but also to invest into their families in areas such as
education, healthcare, training, etc.
(source internet)
