**Executive Summary**
This report details the significant increase in India's food grain and horticulture production despite a decline in average operational landholding sizes to 1.08 hectares. It highlights various government initiatives, such as the formation of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and the development of 2,900 new crop varieties by ICAR. The document outlines financial support mechanisms and technological interventions designed to enhance farmer income and ensure climate-resilient agriculture.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Production and Landholding Trends**
* Average operational landholdings decreased from 1.15 hectares (2010-11) to 1.08 hectares (2015-16).
* Total food grain production rose from 265.0 Million Tonnes (2013-14) to an estimated 357.7 Million Tonnes (2024-25).
* Horticulture production increased from 277.4 Million Tonnes (2013-14) to an estimated 369.1 Million Tonnes (2024-25).
**Government Schemes and Missions**
* **Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY):** Supports states in adopting region-specific high-value crops, pulses, and oilseeds.
* **Mission for Atmanirbharta in Pulses:** Aims to achieve self-reliance in pulse production.
* **National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO):** Targeted initiatives for Oil Palm and Oilseeds.
* **Sustainability Initiatives:** Includes Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for organic farming and Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F) schemes.
**Research and Technological Interventions**
* **ICAR Crop Development:** 2,900 crop varieties were released between 2014 and 2024, of which 2,661 are tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses.
* **Soil and Land Management:** Deployment of location-specific bio-engineering to check soil erosion, sand dune stabilization, and gypsum technology for reclaiming problem soils.
* **Water Management:** Implementation of land leveling, bunding, and efficient nutrient management to improve productivity.
**Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)**
* A Central Sector Scheme initiated in 2020 has registered 10,000 FPOs to assist small and marginal farmers.
* **Financial Support:** FPOs receive up to Rs. 18.00 lakh over three years and matching equity grants up to Rs. 15.00 lakh.
* **Credit Facilities:** A credit guarantee facility for project loans up to Rs. 2 crore per FPO is provided to ensure institutional credit access.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Small and Marginal Farmers**
**Impact**
Farmers benefit from enhanced bargaining power, reduced costs of production, and better market access through collective farming and aggregation.
**Action Required**
Farmers should organize into FPOs and adopt climate-resilient, high-value crop varieties and modern soil management technologies.
**Stakeholder: Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs)**
**Impact**
CBBOs receive financial assistance of Rs. 25 lakh to provide professional guidance and handholding to FPOs.
**Action Required**
CBBOs must provide five years of handholding support to ensure the operational success and sustainability of the FPOs they manage.
**Stakeholder: State Governments**
**Impact**
States receive central support and resources to implement diversification programs and region-specific agricultural strategies.
**Action Required**
States must facilitate the adoption of high-value crops and oversee the implementation of schemes like RKVY and the Crop Diversification Programme.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: The nodal ministry responsible for conducting the Agriculture Census and implementing initiatives to enhance agricultural productivity and farmer income.
Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs): A Central Sector Scheme providing financial assistance and credit guarantees to organize small and marginal farmers into collectives for better market access.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): The primary research body developing stress-tolerant crop varieties and technological measures for soil conservation and reclamation.
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): A major scheme that supports states in promoting region-specific high-value crops and crop diversification.
Agriculture Census 2015-16: The key statistical document providing data on the declining average size of operational landholdings in India.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Record Food and Horticulture output amid
Declining Average Landholdings
Posted On: 27 MAR 2026 5:57PM by PIB Delhi
As per Agriculture Census 2015-16, conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the
average size of operational holdings is 1.08 hectares, against 1.15 hectares in 2010-11. However, the
production of total food grains at the all-India level has increased from 265.0 Million Tonnes in 2013–14to
357.7 Million Tonnes in 2024–25. Similarly, the production of total horticulture crops at the all-India level
has increased from 277.4 Million Tonnes in 2013–14 to 369.1 Million Tonnes in 2024–25 (Third advance
estimates).
To ensure productive use of land, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has implemented several
initiatives to promote crop diversification, increase cropping intensity and enhance farmer’s income.
Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and the Crop Diversification Programme, States are
supported to adopt region-specific high-value crops, pulses, oilseeds, and horticultural crops. Schemes
such as Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH),
National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm, National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds,
Mission for Atmanirbharta in Pulses, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for organic and
sustainable farming, Rainfed Area Development (RAD) to further encourage farmers to adopt climate-
resilient, high-value and diversified crops.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducts research programme to develop location
specific varieties for enhancing the production, productivity of farmholdings and initiated several
technological measures to increase the area under cultivation. This includes location specific bio-
engineering to check soil erosion due to run-off of rainwater, sand dune stabilization and shelter belt
technology to check wind erosion and reclamation technology for problem soils in the country. ICAR has
also developed the gypsum technology package, consisting of land levelling, bunding, flushing, removal
ofexcess water, good quality irrigation water, applicationof amendments, selection of crops and efficient
nutrient management. Further, to address the impacts of climate change, ICAR has released 2,900 crop
varieties during 2014–2024, out of which 2,661 are tolerant to one or more biotic and/or abiotic stresses.
Government of India has been implementing the Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion of
10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) since 2020 to organize farmers including small & marginal
farmers, into collectives and enable them to enhance their bargaining power, leverage economies of scale,
reduce cost of production and enhance farmers’ incomes through aggregation of their agricultural produce.
Under the scheme, financial assistance up to Rs. 18.00 lakh per FPO is provided for a period of three
years. In addition, matching equity grant up to Rs. 2,000 per farmer member subject to a limit of Rs. 15.00
lakh per FPO and credit guarantee facility up to Rs. 2 crore of project loan per FPO is provided to ensure
institutional credit accessibility. Further, Rs. 25 lakh is provided to Cluster Based Business Organizations
(CBBOs) for handholding support to each FPO for a period of five years. Presently 10,000 FPOs havebeen registered under the said scheme. These initiatives have empowered millions of small & marginal
farmers to overcome the limitations of shrinking landholdings by enabling collective farming, input
procurement, value addition and better market access.
This information was given by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Ramnath
Thakur in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
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RC/MS/3856
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