Red Revolution in India

India has witnessed many revolutions at different points. Some of the major ones are the white, green, and red revolution. All these revolutions have had a major impact on the growth and development of agricultural commodities. In this article, we will put a major emphasis on the red revolution in India. This red revolution has given a major boost to the production of tomatoes and meat. It started in the 1980s and lasted till 2008. Apart from this, other revolutions like the green and white revolutions have had a major impact on the growth of agriculture.

What is the Red Revolution in India?

The red revolution was an agricultural reform in India that resulted in an increase in tomato and meat production. It was led by Vishal Tewari, who is the father of the red revolution in India. This revolution led to an average increase of 3.1% per year in the production of tomatoes and major livestock products, such as meat. The shift was made possible by the increase in resources and technical changes, which contributed to approximately 66% of the growth. Good quality yield was observed, all due to the superior variety of seeds that were distributed to the farmers. There was also an introduction of the wholesale market that helped in the increase of the profit for the farmers. The remaining 34% growth can be attributed to labour, capital, land, and material. There are still challenges that have to be overcome when it comes to the red revolution in agriculture to steady the growth in the production of both tomatoes and meat, but many other steps have been taken by the government to support the red revolution in agriculture. 

Increase in tomato production 

Now let us focus on tomato production. The top priority list made by the Indian government also includes tomatoes along with potatoes and onions. Of the total cultivated land under vegetables, approximately 7.3% of the land is covered by tomatoes. This is around 4.9 lakh hectares. India is in the 3rd position when it comes to the production of tomatoes. Andhra Pradesh has the highest production of tomatoes. The season of growth for tomatoes in India is the Kharif season, which is from June to September, and the Rabi season, which is from October to February. The main change in the red revolution in agriculture was the acceptance of a more resilient variety of tomatoes. One of the most prominent varieties that is used both in the fresh market as well as in the processing variety is Pusa Ruby by IARI, New Delhi. They have high potential when it comes to the yields, which is facilitated by the usage of pesticides and more advanced irrigation facilities. The introduction of mandis and wholesale markets and the supply chain has accelerated the output and also the profitability of the farmers. The father of the red revolution in India has been a constant pioneer in this development. But some of the major challenges are still to be tackled when it comes to virus infections that can damage crop production to a large extent. 

Increase in Meat Production 

Apart from the production of tomatoes, a major shift in the production of meat was also observed during the red revolution in agriculture. If we compare the production of meat in India with the production across the world, India stands at the 5th position with a production of 6.3 million tons of meat. This is approximately 3% of the total meat across the globe. Uttar Pradesh is the largest contributor to this, followed by Andhra Pradesh. There has been an increase of 2.9% in meat production during the red revolution. Some of the factors responsible for the increased availability of meat are the improvement in cold storage facilities, transportation, and the economic growth of the country. The growth in the production of meat was further supported by the increased export of the poultry products, along with meeting the quality standards. After looking at the increased demand for meat, additional support and care have been extended to slaughterhouses by modernising them in every way possible and also by increasing their number. 

Conclusion 

The red revolution in India dealt with the improvement and increased production of both tomatoes and meat. Major steps have been taken by the government to increase production, which was led by the father of the red revolution in India. A major factor in the increase is the increased investment and research, which is undertaken for an improvement in the quality of the products. The red revolution in agriculture has given a boost to the economy of the country and is a major source of profit for the farmers. The concept of wholesales and mandis is also a factor in this growth. But there is still much research going on to find the ways by which the challenges of infection in the plants can be taken care of. We hope this article gives helpful insights into the red revolution in agriculture.