Explain the factors influencing the decision of the farmers on the selection of high value crops in India.

1. Food habits of people act as a major determinant. e.g. wheat in North & Northwest India for food purposes.
2. Subsistence vs Commercialised agriculture where subsistence farming focuses on crops needed for self consumption only.
3. clothing habits also influence cropping patterns. e.g. Cotton crop for khadi industries.
4. Fibre crops to be used locally for various purposes e.g Jute grown in eastern Indian states of west Bengal.

Role of economic factors →

1. Commercial crops like cotton etc. grown for profit motive.
2. Productivity also influences cropping system e.g Rice-wheat cropping pattern in North west India.
3. Profitability acts as a major hindrance for cultivation of millets.
4. Mechanisation influences cropping pattern e.g use of combine harvesters in wheat & paddy.
5. Government support through MSP and various schemes e.g cultivation of sugarcane in Northwest India.

Trade off between economic viability and ecological sustainability →

1. Paddy → though economically viable but ecologically unsustainable eg dark zones in Punjab.
2. Millets → ecologically viable but economically unsustainable due to low profitability
3. Disruption by Monsoon patterns influenced by El-Nino & La-Nina effects further entrenches this trade off.
4. Government measures through MSP and government scheme adds to this trade off eg FRP for sugarcane

Way Ahead →

1. Scientific & precision farming
2. Use of MSP for pulses, oilseeds & millets
3. Swaminathan committee report