Analysing the Growth and Instability of Cereal Crop Production Across Kharif and Rabi Seasons in Western Odisha, India

Abstract

Over the past decade, agricultural development in India has evolved significantly due to a range of influencing factors. In Odisha, the agricultural sector is particularly susceptible to risks and uncertainties, making it crucial to assess growth and instability. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the compound growth rate and Coppock’s Instability Index for four major cereal crops-rice and maize for both Kharif and Rabi seasons, as well as ragi and wheat, each in their respective seasons. Utilizing secondary data spanning from 1993-94 to 2022-23, the research evaluates and compares the growth and instability of production of these crops across districts in Western Odisha. The study also ranks districts based on these metrics, offering a detailed comparison between Kharif and Rabi seasons. The results highlight differences in growth trends and instability levels among the crops, providing valuable insights into the agricultural patterns and challenges faced by the region. The final findings reveal that rice tends to have lower growth rates but greater stability in the kharif season compared to the rabi season, while maize shows overall positive growth. Ragi struggles with negative growth during the kharif season, and wheat experiences declining growth in the rabi season.