Commercialization of agriculture

In the later half of the 19th century a significant trend in Indian agriculture was the emergence of the commercialization of agriculture .So far agriculture had been a way of life rather than a business enterprise .Now agriculture began to influenced by commercial consideration i.e.certain specialised crops began to be grown not for consumption in the village but for sale in National and even international markets .commercial crops like cotton,jute,groundnuts,oilseeds,sugarcane ,Tobacco,etc.were more remunerative than foodgrains .Again the cultivation of crops like spices and vegetables could cater to a wider market .perhaps the commercialization trend reached the highest level of development in plantation industry i.e.in tea ,coffee ,rubber,etc.which were all produced for sale in a wider market .
Causes for the commercialization of Agriculture

A number of factors encouraged and facilitated commercialization of Indian agriculture .The chief factor was the colonial subjugation of India under the British rule .India was reduced to the supplier of raw materials and food grains to Britain and importer of British manufactured goods .
The political unity established by the British and the resultant rise of the trade was important factor behind commercialization of agriculure ,further the replacement of custom and tradition by competition and contract also led to commercialization of Indian agriculture.Better means of communication (equipped with rapid development of Railways and shipping ) made trade in Agriculture products feasible ,especially over long distances.
Monetization of land revenue payments was another important casual factor for agricultural commercialization .The enlargement and expansion of international trade and the entry of British finance capital also belted commercialization of agriculture.
For the Indian peasant ,commercialization seemed a forced process .to meet the excessive land revenue demand of state and high rates of inetrest charged by moneylenders ,the cultivator had to rush a part of his harvest into the market and sell it at whatever price it fetched .

Impact of commercialization on Agriculture

Commercialization of agriculture beneficial to the British planters ,traders and manufactures ,who were provided with opportunity to make huge profits by getting the commercialized agricultural products at throw away prices, it also partly benefitted moneylenders who made huge profit by working as middleman.
The peasants was forced to sell their produce just after harvest at whatever prices he could get as he had to meet in time the demands of the government ,the landlord ,the moneylenders etc.
Most of the Indian people suffered miserably due to the British policy of commercialization of Indian agriculture .it resulted in reduced area under cultivation of food crops due to the substitution of commercial non –food grains in place of food grains.Between 1893-94 to 1945-46 ,the production of commercial crops increased by 85 percent and that of food crops fell drastically.this had a devastating effect on rural economy and often took the shape of famines.
Regional specialization of crop production based on climatic conditions ,soil etc ,was an outcome of the commercial revolution in agriculture like Bombay was focussing on cotton ,Bengal on jute and Assam on tea etc.

Commercialization of agriculture linked the agriculture sector to the world market ,price movements and business fluctuations in the world markets began the affect the fortunes of the Indian farmer to a degree that it had never done before .
The commercialization of Agriculture had mixed effects ,while it assisted the Industrial revolution in Britain ,it broke the economic self- sufficiency of villages in India,the worst effect of commercialization was the oppression of Indian peasants at the hands of Europeans ,which ultimately found expression in peasants revolts like Indigo revolt .
Commercialization of agriculture brought some positive effects also on Indian rural economy ,it linked India with world economy .it led to the growth of high level social and economic system .it also brought about regional specialization of crops on an efficient basis.

In short we can say comercialization of agriculture was a new phenomenon in Indian agriculture which brought drastic changes in rural economy of India .

 

By: Ankush Sharma