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The Economy of Kerala State – Agriculture

Kerala is bestowed with major altitude variations resulting in the agriculturally favoured state in India. The state is famous for the production of multiple types of crops.

Agriculture can be defined as the art of cultivation of the soil for growing seasonal or non-seasonal crops. Agriculture also encompasses the raising of livestock and its breeding. Agriculture is a vital tool for establishing economic infrastructure and possesses immense possibilities for the growth and development of the country. Kerala is the most literate state, however, there is ample amount of cultivation of crops in the state. Kerala is famous for the production of coconut, rubber, tea and coffee, spices and others. The most essential crop of the state is Paddy, 600 varieties of the paddy crop are cultivated in the sprawling field of Kerala.

Agriculture and its significance 

Agriculture is the key practice in the lives of individuals and involves the cultivation of various types of crops. Agriculture also includes growing and farming fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables and rearing of livestock. 60% of the Indian economy is combined with agricultural income, which shows it is a crucial and significant part of the lives of the Indian population. Agriculture is the spine of the economic system of any country. In addition to giving food, plants, raw material, agriculture has also been established as a major source of employment. Agriculture combines with the activities such as ploughing, weeding, sowing, harvesting and irrigation. Agricultural products such as sugar, tea, spices, rice, tobacco, coffee, and more constitute the major items for exports that further helps in building economic stability.

Kerala: Agricultural aspects   

Kerala shares diverse agro-climatic conditions making it fertile for the farming of various crops such as rice, coconut, cloves, coffee and tea. Kerala is known as the spice garden of India, Wayanad and Idukki are the significant spice producers. The major producer of coconut in Kerala accounts for 45 % of the total production of coconut in India. Land reform in Kerala has resulted in a drastic change in the land holding pattern of Kerala. Agricultural land of the state accounts for 55%, while forest land covers 28 % and 11 % lands are for non-agricultural use. Furthermore, Kerala contributes a huge part to the export of the country. It accounts for 91 % of rubber production and more than 96 % of spices production. Home gardens of Kerala share a contribution to the Indian economy and include the production of spices, fruits, vegetables and coconut grown globally.

The economic outlook of Kerala: Agriculture based  

  • The economy of Kerala stands at 9th position in India combining an annual gross state product of 9.77 lakh crore in the year 2020-2021
  • Kerala’s growth in the GDP can be better understood as the phenomenon of the Kerala model, which includes various prospectuses such as social, political and environmental substance
  • The contribution of the agriculture GDP of Kerala in 2017 was 10.58 % of the total GDP of the country
  • Kerala is the major producer of coconut, spices and coffee, which makes it different from other states

Classification of agriculture  

There are many aspects of classification in agriculture based on different sets of requirements, for instance, commercial, taxonomical and agricultural. Commercial classification of agriculture includes industrial crops such as Sugarcane, Cotton, tobacco, groundnut, tobacco, castor and food crops such as wheat, maize, rice, fruits and vegetables. In context to taxonomic classification, agriculture contributes as the economical parts with agro botanical characters. There are mainly 4 branches of agriculture that are agricultural economics, agricultural engineering, production of crops and livestock production. Agricultural engineering refers to the process of study and application of science for agricultural purposes.

Conclusion 

Agriculture is a significant part of the lives of individuals and survival cannot be expected without the utilisation of agricultural processes. Agriculture in the Indian economy contributes a major part to the economic system. More than 60 % of the individuals are engaged in the agriculture sector. The study about agriculture highlights the key facet of the agriculture system in Kerala. The agricultural arrangements of Kerala highlight the major crops produced in the state. Coconut and spices are the key crops that contribute to the income source of Kerala as well as in the economic infrastructure of the country.