Trends in Growth and Stability of Rice and Wheat Crops: A Comparative Analysis of India and Punjab Renjini V.R., Kumar Raj, Singh J.M. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141 004, Punjab Online published on 10 September, 2013. Abstract This study has compared the growth and variability in area, production and productivity of rice and wheat in India and Punjab by collecting secondary data for 50-year period from 1960–61 to 2009–10 from various published sources. The decadal trends in growth of rice crop in India have shown significant increase in productivity the rate of at 3.19 per cent per annum 1980–81 to 1989–90, while this growth was positive but lower in the later decades. In the case of Punjab, the maximum growth in rice productivity was witnessed in 1970–71 to 1979–80, but could not catch it during the later decades. In the case of wheat crop, productivity increased at the rate of 4.45 per cent per annum in India, while in Punjab this increase was 7.58 per cent per annum during 1960–61 to 1969–70. Both in India and Punjab, the growth in productivity was positive in the later periods, but quantum of increase was less. The variation in productivity was the major factor for production instability in both India and Punjab. Growth as well as stability should go hand in hand for maintaining long-term equilibrium. Need of the hour is to sustain the production of rice and wheat crops. Keeping in view the importance of rice and wheat in national food security, the study has observed the need of sustaining the production of these crops. Top Keywords Variability, stability, comparative analysis, growth trends, rice, wheat, Punjab. Top |