The unseasonal rains in February-March have not brought any cheers on the face of farmers and in grain production India has seen a decline from the 2013 production level. There is decline of 5.5 per cent in the total crop output. All farm produce except sugarcane is expected to record a decline in production as compared to previous year. This year north’s loss is south’s gain. It had affected lakhs of hectares yet to be harvested crops in several states and left thousands of farmers destitues. Unlike in states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan where there were extensive damages in contrast southern states faced very little damages where farmers yearn for rains at this time of the year. Not only this lack of rains make them more dependable on diesel to run their water pumps for irrigation purposes which adds on to their cost of production making agriculture an unproductive proposition. Besides setback in Kharif crop Rabi season as well has seen decline in production of most of the crops during 2014-15. The rising cost of fuel also added to the worries as inflation though on a low note has remained worrisome with most of the food items and vegetable becoming expensive for common man. Alongwith grains oilseeds production too has been predicted to see a decline in production. The estimates show how vulnerable is Indian agriculture in case of heavy or no rains. With rain dependence being very high Indian farmers’ fate is always on tenterhooks. As far as crop insurance is concerned it has not come much handy for those weather-beaten farmers. Because of the delay and varying yardsticks for calculating crop damages and prevailing corruption most of the farmers rue that crop insurance has not been able to address their problems in right earnest. Just one of the populist measures adopted to rope in farming community for vote bank, the insurance scheme introduced through banks has not been able to come to their rescue and has remained more of a head ache than the expected relief.
