India could achieve 4% farm growth during 12th Plan

The country could achieve the targeted 4 percent growth in the agriculture sector during 12th plan period, Planning Commission Member Abhijit Sen said today.

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Sen also suggested that it is time to shift from the pricing policy of agriculture crops to income policy of farming community in order to improve the quality of life of farmers.

 "We were near the target of 4 percent in the 11th plan and at least we will achieve that in the 12th plan," Planning Commission Member Abhijit Sen said on the sidelines of a conference organised by the Bharat Krishak Samaj.

Sen said the country could achieve the target growth of four per cent in the agriculture during the 12th five year plan (2012-17).

Addressing the conference, Sen said there is a need to look at income policy rather than pricing policy of farm produce in order to improve the quality of life of farmers.

"There is time to look at income policy rather than price policy basically trying to look at incomes through prices we quite often get it wrong," Sen said.

Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP) Chairman Ashok Gulati stressed the relevance for the income policy said that there is risk to farmer when his yield decreases and when there is flood or famine.

"It is good discussion in moving from price policy to income policy and I fully subscribe to this opinion but there is need to bring system in place," Gladi added.

The government fixes the minimum support price (MSP) of about 25 crops grown in kharif and rabi seasons.

Other dignitaries who were present at the occasion were Rakesh Chand Director National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, Bibek Debroy Professor at Centre for Policy Research and Ajay Jakhar Chairman Bharat Krishak Samaj.