Emergence of Contract Farming in India: An Overview

Abstract

In recent times, one of the main topics of discussion for policy and research in agrarian development studies has been contract farming. Agriculture has become unprofitable due to the state's withdrawal of subsidies following the neo-liberal reforms, an increase in cultivation costs, and a drop in profitability. Because of this, farmers frequently turn to non-farm livelihood pursuits to survive. Contract farming has become a viable option in this evolving agricultural landscape for farmers, particularly small and marginal farmers, seeking to increase their income from agriculture. Based on secondary sources the study proposes to examine the conditions, context, and forces that led to the emergence of contract farming which are important in order to understand the current dynamics of agrarian change in India.