A farmer stops growing food crops for his family’s own use and starts growing vegetables mainly for sale in the market. What is this change called, and on what condition do some scholars say it offers farmers tremendous scope to earn higher incomes?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Commercialisation of agriculture; provided government intervention is restricted
Growing crops for the market in place of family use is called commercialisation of agriculture. Some scholars say it can raise farm incomes greatly, but only if government intervention is restricted.
Option (1) Agricultural marketing; provided government intervention is restricted — Incorrect. Agricultural marketing is the process of moving produce to buyers: assembling, storage, grading, transport and distribution. It is not the change in what the farmer grows for.
Option (2) Commercialisation of agriculture; provided government intervention is strengthened — Incorrect. The term is right, but the scholars want government intervention to be restricted, not strengthened.
Option (3) Commercialisation of agriculture; provided government intervention is restricted — Correct. Growing crops for the market is commercialisation of agriculture, and the scholars add the condition that government intervention is restricted.
Option (4) Agricultural marketing; provided government intervention is strengthened — Incorrect. Both parts are wrong: the term is not marketing, and the condition is restricted intervention.
NCERT (2026-27): “5.4 Agricultural Market System … Agricultural marketing has come a long way with the intervention of the government in various forms. Some scholars argue that commercialisation of agriculture offers tremendous scope for farmers to earn higher incomes provided the government intervention is restricted. …” Glossary: “Commercialisation of Agriculture – It implies production of crops for the market rather than for self-consumption i.e. family consumption. …” |