The Tenancy Act did not usher in desired agricultural revolution. The economics of cultivation with scarce and costly labour sounded a death knell. Large tracts of land were kept fallow. The cheap rice distributed through fair price shops and changed food habits reduced dependency on costly local variety of rice. Goa imported cheap rice from neighbouring States to cater to rice consuming populace. The vagaries of uncertain nature with crop insurance were loaded heavily against farmers.. The efforts at mechanised farming with govt machinery was too inadequate and tied in knots at required moment. There is need to introduce high yielding, resistant varieties, establish farmers markets, build storage facilities and even extend loans at subsidised interest rates to displace grip of money lenders. Agriculture. need to be treated on par with industry as it is the farmer who feeds all. Agricultural policy gets step motherly treatment as imported vegetables are flooding the outlets. The recent trend of collective' mechanised economic farming is an attractive proposition and government policy must latch on to this movement extending quickly the intended subsidies without procedural and beauracratic hurdles.
